Brian Yazzie facts for kids

Brian Yazzie, also known as Yazzie the Chef, is a talented chef from the Navajo Nation. He is famous for celebrating and sharing Native American foods. He helps people learn about the rich history and flavors of these traditional dishes.

Who is Yazzie the Chef?

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

Starting His Culinary Journey

In 2014, Brian Yazzie became a lead chef at The Sioux Chef. This well-known restaurant was started by Sean Sherman. Working there helped Yazzie grow his skills and passion for Indigenous foods.

Cooking for a Cause: Intertribal Foodways

In 2016, Yazzie and his wife, Danielle Yazzie-Polk, started their own company. It is called Intertribal Foodways. This company is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Intertribal Foodways prepares special Indigenous meals. They also lead cooking demonstrations. These events help Native American communities learn about healthy, traditional foods. In 2020, Yazzie started working at Gatherings Cafe. However, the cafe had to close because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Helping During the Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Brian Yazzie did amazing work. He teamed up with the Minneapolis American Indian Center. Together, they prepared hundreds of meals. These meals were given for free to elderly people. Yazzie helped deliver these meals to homes.

Connecting with Other Food Leaders

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

He is also involved with an organization called Slow Food. This group promotes local and traditional foods. Yazzie traveled to big food events as a delegate. He went to Terra Madre Salone del Gusto in Italy. He also attended Indigenous Terra Madre in Japan. At these events, he shared his knowledge of Indigenous foods.

Featured on TV

PBS's Independent Lens created a short episode about Brian Yazzie. It was part of their series called "alter-NATIVE: Kitchen." This episode helped more people learn about Yazzie the Chef and his important work.