The Savanna Institute announced that Oglala Lakota Chef Sean Sherman will deliver his keynote address “The (R)evolution of Indigenous Foodways” at the 2024 Perennial Farm Gathering. The gathering, held each year for perennial food and farming enthusiasts, will be in Madison this year. It will take place Sunday, October 6th to Tuesday, October 8th at the Monona Terrace.
Chef Sherman was born and raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He has dedicated his career to supporting and promoting Indigenous food systems and Native food sovereignty. His goal is to make Indigenous foods more accessible to as many communities as possible through the non-profit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS) and its Indigenous Food Lab, a professional Indigenous kitchen and training Center.
Chef Sherman published his first book, The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, in 2017 with author Beth Dooley. It received the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook in 2018. In 2021, he opened Minnesota’s first full service Indigenous restaurant, Owamni by The Sioux Chef. The restaurant received the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in America for 2022. In 2023, he was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
The Savanna Institute, a nonprofit research and education organization, is now accepting sponsorships for the event. Current sponsors include Canopy Farm Management, Compeer Financial, American Farmland Trust, River Hills Harvest, Wormfarm Institute, Alliant Energy, and Appalachian Forest Farmer Coalition. Tickets for the Perennial Farm Gathering will go on sale in May.
What: 2024 Perennial Farm Gathering, hosted by the Savanna Institute
When: Sunday, October 6th – Tuesday, October 8th
Who: Oglala Lakota Chef Sean Sherman, Founder of The Sioux Chef
Where: Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, Madison WI