Ancestral Table + Slow Food Feast

Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating Native food producers and the traditional foods of Turtle Island! 

In partnership with the Native Grown & Gathered Expo, Tahoma Peak Solutions, and NATIFS, we are pleased to announce a surprise pop-up dinner shaped by the vision of renowned Native foods educator and activist and celebrated Indigenous chefs , , and .

Together, these talented experts will be taking over One World Restaurant at the for ONE NIGHT ONLY, sharing their knowledge and a knockout multi-course menu. 

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The began as an initiative grounded in a simple truth: Food sovereignty is at the heart of the health, culture, and economic well-being of Native peoples. What started in Washington as a plan to connect Native food producers to consumers, has grown to include partnerships and connections in Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Colorado, and Wyoming—amplifying the voices of Native food producers and building networks to share resources and assistance, while honoring traditional knowledge.

Valerie Segrest (Muckleshoot, BSN, MA)  is a Native Foods Nutritionist, food activist, and co-founder of Tahoma Peak Solutions. She directs the Native Plants and Foods Institute and co-founded the Muckleshoot Food Sovereignty Project, developing gardens, curricula, and intergenerational learning rooted in Coast Salish knowledge. Valerie also hosts The Old Growth Table and co-authored Feeding Seven Generations: A Salish Cookbook and Indigenous Home Cooking: Menus Inspired by the Ancestors.

Sean Sherman is an award-winning chef, educator, author, and activist. A member of the Oglala Lakota Sioux tribe, Sean has dedicated himself to the revitalization of Indigenous food systems and building awareness of the transformative power of traditional foodways. His newest book, , will be published in November.

Pyet DeSpain is an award-winning private chef, and member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Her life’s work is to combine the food of her heritage—–both Native American and Mexican—, and uplift Indigenous culture and traditions through cooking and storytelling. Her first book, , will launch in November.

Rob Kinneen is an Alaska Native of Tlingit heritage. He is recognized as an authority on Alaskan regional foods and regularly introduces people and organizations to Indigenized cuisine through guest appearances, speaking engagements, cooking demonstrations, and private catering events. His Fresh Alaska Cookbook offers contemporary recipes and rich storytelling about life in the Last Frontier.

Luke Black Elk (Tetowan Lakota, Itazipco Band) is a wild foods chef, food sovereignty activist, and teacher of traditional plant uses, gardening, and foraging. He gathers and prepares traditional foods for Indigenous communities across the Oceti Sakowin and believes that the Lakota way of life, embedded in ceremony is vital to a better future. Luke is a founding board member of Tatanka Wakpala Model Sustainable Community on the Cheyenne River Nation and also serves on the board of Makoce Ikikcupi, a Reparative Justice project on Dakota lands in Minnesota. He is currently Farm Director at Hohwozu Otunwe, a 16-acre organic farm in southern Minnesota.

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The earned the Slow Food Snail of Approval, a recognition awarded to food businesses and programs that champion good, clean, and fair food for all. SCA also leads the way in education—it was the first cooking school in the country to launch a sustainable food systems course and to integrate social justice initiatives into its curriculum.

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Date: Thursday, October 2, 2025

Time: 6:00 pm

Location: Seattle Culinary Academy / One World Restaurant
1701 Broadway
Seattle, WA 98122

Tickets: $100
This dinner is a fundraiser — all proceeds go directly to the Native Grown & Gathered Food Expo. We are grateful for your support!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Seattle Culinary Academy at Seattle Central College, 1701 Broadway, Seattle, United States