Brian Yazzie facts for kids

Brian Yazzie, also known as Yazzie the Chef, is a talented Navajo chef. He is famous for celebrating and sharing Indigenous American foods. These are traditional foods from Native American cultures.

Who is Brian Yazzie?

Brian Yazzie was born in Dennehotso, Arizona. This area is part of the Navajo Nation. In 2013, he moved to Minnesota.

Brian's Early Career

In 2014, Brian Yazzie became a lead chef, or "chef de cuisine," at a place called The Sioux Chef. This restaurant was started by another famous chef, Sean Sherman.

Starting His Own Company

In 2016, Brian and his wife, Danielle Yazzie-Polk, started their own business. It's called Intertribal Foodways. This company is a "catering company," which means they prepare and serve food for special events. They are based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Intertribal Foodways focuses on making traditional Indigenous meals. They also teach people about these foods. They often work with Native American communities.

In 2020, Brian also started working at Gatherings Cafe. However, the cafe had to close down. This happened because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Helping During the Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brian Yazzie did something amazing. He worked with the Minneapolis American Indian Center. Together, they made hundreds of meals. These meals were given for free to elderly people. They even delivered the meals right to their homes.

Brian's Food Groups and Projects

Brian Yazzie is part of a group called I-Collective. This group includes many Indigenous food experts. They are chefs, farmers, people who gather wild foods, hunters, and food historians. They all work together to share knowledge about Indigenous foods.

He is also involved with an organization called Slow Food. This group promotes local and traditional foods. Brian has traveled as a representative for Slow Food. He went to big food events like Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Italy. He also attended Indigenous Terra Madre in Japan.

Featured on TV

PBS, a public television channel, made a short film about Brian Yazzie. It was part of their series called "alter-NATIVE: Kitchen." This film was shown on the program Independent Lens. It helped more people learn about Brian's work.