Chef Yazzie preparing to educate and amaze CCPL patrons with his culinary talent and expertise
The first few days of November were busy ones at the Campbell County Public Library. Three events including a cooking class, an indigenous food sovereignty presentation, and a pop-up lunch, all lead by Chef Yazzie, were hosted at the CCPL’s Gillette location on November 1 and 2. CCPL patrons were invited to learn from Chef Yazzie’s about his ancestral knowledge and how he uses it to create delicious and beautiful modern indigenous cuisine.
Chef Yazzie plates some delicious indigenous cuisine for CCPL patrons to enjoy.
Chef Yazzie is from Dennehotso, Arizona, and is based out of Saint Paul, MN. He graduated with a degree of Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Culinary Arts from Saint Paul College in 2016, and is both a delegate of Slow Food Turtle Island Association and a team member at I-Collective: a collective of cooks, chefs, seed keepers, farmers, foragers, and scholars, focused on bringing awareness to the cultural appropriations of indigenous foods of the Americas.
A patron assists Chef Yazzie in preparing his culinary delights
Brian and his fiancée, Danielle Polk (Hoonmana Polk) are the Founders/Owners of Intertribal Foodways, a culinary mission specifically working with and for the betterment of tribal communities, wellness, and health through Indigenous foods. They travel internationally and are available for catering, private dinners, pop-up dinners, chef demos & cooking classes, collaborations, and presentations on indigenous food sovereignty.
Chef Yazzie packed out the house! Many CCPL patrons were eager to learn from the chef and taste a sampling of his unique eatables.
“Brian is a fantastic chef and a great educator,” said Genevieve Schlekeway, CCPL Programming Coordinator. “We learned a lot!”
One hundred twenty CCPL patrons participated in the three Chef Yazzie events throughout the weekend.
The CCPL hosts a variety of events and programs for patrons of all ages. Check out their website for upcoming events!