Sean Sherman is an acclaimed chef who helms the lauded Owamni by the Sioux Chef in Minneapolis. But cooking is only one element of who he is and only one part of what he wants to accomplish.
On the Road
On the Road with Bryan Roof: Minneapolis with Sean Sherman
Sean Sherman’s Owamni restaurant is a huge success, but it’s just one part of his larger mission.
By Published Nov. 21, 2023.
Sherman, an Indigenous philanthropist, entrepreneur, teacher, and advocate, strives to educate and empower Indigenous people about their native food traditions.
Owamni, for example, aims to “showcase what’s possible with modern Indigenous foods . . . basically removing ingredients introduced by Europeans. No dairy, no wheat flour, cane sugar, beef, pork, or chicken. (Our focus is on) wild game: elk, venison, bison, rabbit, and lots of birds—duck, geese, quail, and turkeys, of course,” says Sherman.
Chef Sherman cooks a few of his signature dishes with Bryan at Owamni and tours him around some of his other ventures, including Indigenous Food Labs (an educational center and market) and an urban medicinal garden under the care of NĀTIFS (Native American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems), an organization Sherman founded to rekindle and empower Indigenous food sovereignty.
While there is a lot to unpack, Sherman’s drive and charisma come through—he and Bryan shared more than a few laughs in their time together. Click below to watch the video.