Turtle Island - by Sean Sherman (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Uncover the stories behind the foods that have linked the natural environments, traditions, and histories of Indigenous peoples across North America for millennia through more than 100 ancestral and modern recipes from three-time James Beard Award-winning Oglala Lakota chef Sean Sherman.

"I've been completely seduced by Sean Sherman's new book. This is so much more than enticing recipes and gorgeous photos."--Robin Wall Kimmerer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass and The Serviceberry

"A collection of the stories that tell deeper truths about our country and the people who have always been here."--José Andrés, chef and founder of World Central Kitchen

Growing up on South Dakota's Pine Ridge Reservation, Oglala Lakota chef Sean Sherman understood that his people's food was rich in flavor, heritage, and connection to the land. It was in the midst of a successful restaurant career mainly cooking European cuisines that he realized the lack of understanding about Native American foodways--a revelation that sent him on a journey to learn more about how Indigenous communities have preserved and evolved their cuisines through the centuries. Now a leading figure in the Indigenous food movement, he shares in Turtle Island the unique and diverse Native foodways of North America through both traditional and modern recipes made with ingredients that have nourished Indigenous peoples physically, spiritually, and culturally for generations.

Organized by region, this book delves into the rich culinary landscapes of Turtle Island--as many Indigenous cultures call this continent. Learn to eat with the seasons, consume meat and fish nose-to-tail, focus on plant-forward dishes, and discover how to better feed yourself. Alongside delicious recipes like Smoked Bison Ribeye, Wild-Rice Crusted Walleye Cakes, Charred Rainbow Trout with Grilled Ramps, Sweet Potato Soup with Dried Venison and Chile Oil, Sunflower Seed "Risotto," and Sweet Corn Pudding with Woodland Berry Sauce (and so much more), you'll see the inspiring Indigenous food scene through Sean's eyes.

Exemplifying how Native foodways can teach us all to connect with the natural world around us, Turtle Island features rich narrative histories and spotlights the communities producing, gathering, and cooking these foods, including remarkable stories of ingenuity and adaptation that capture the resilience of Indigenous communities.

Review Quotes

"I've been completely seduced by Sean Sherman's new book--the only thing that could get me to put it down is the invitation to go harvest dandelion capers from the field. This is so much more than enticing recipes and gorgeous photos. Each imagined bite is a story, of the people and places that nourish us, of a history of resilience and ingenuity. These pages are an expression of Indigenous identity and a pathway for reconnection to the land. Gbekte ne?"--Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding Sweetgrass and The Serviceberry

"So many of us in the industry look up to Sean for his dedication to sharing the foods and stories of the Indigenous peoples of North America. This cookbook is a collection of the stories that tell deeper truths about our country and the people who have always been here."--José Andrés, chef and founder of World Central Kitchen

"Chef Sean takes us on a journey across North America to honor and appreciate the food traditions of it's original people. At a time when perspectives like his are being minimized, this book is a must-read for a true understanding of the beauty of the Indigenous culture and history of this land."--LeVar Burton, actor, author, and advocate for readers

"Chef Sean Sherman is a true pioneer both in preserving and advancing the rich culinary history of Indigenous people. With Turtle Island, he brings his talent and passion to the page, sharing recipes, beautiful photos, and his thoughts on what it means to honor and promote Indigenous food systems."--Jacques Pépin, chef and television host

"Through the voice of Sean Sherman, we're reminded that nature is our first teacher, our deepest pantry, and our enduring inspiration. Indigenous food traditions carry knowledge not just of ingredients and techniques, but of place, season, spirit--of who we are. This book is a celebration of connection, a map of how cuisine can reflect the soul of a place--and how, in returning to these roots, we might find ourselves again."--René Redzepi, chef of Noma

"The great Sean Sherman has done more than anyone of his generation to showcase and popularize the Indigenous, pre-colonial foods of this land. In Turtle Island, he delivers more in-depth research and fabulous recipes; it's a book that belongs in the kitchen of anyone who's serious about some of the most important roots of 'American' cooking."--Mark Bittman, author of How to Cook Everything and founder of The Bittman Project

"Indigenous food is a complex and rich cuisine that has been overlooked for far too long. Sean's book shines a welcomed light on the rich history of Indigenous food and its continued place in our growing communities."--Sterlin Harjo, showrunner, Reservation Dogs

"Chef Sean Sherman shares his rich, delicious take on storytelling through food, and I've been fortunate enough to experience it first hand. This book serves as a testament to the powerful resilience of Native peoples across North America."--Deb Haaland, 54th secretary of the interior

About the Author

Sean Sherman, Oglala Lakota, born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, has been cooking across the US and world for the past thirty years. His main culinary focus has been the revitalization and awareness of Indigenous foods systems in a modern culinary context. In 2014, he opened The Sioux Chef as a caterer and food educator in the Minneapolis/Saint Paul area. His first book, The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen, was published in 2017. His restaurant OWAMNI opened in 2021 and was honored on many best new restaurant lists, winning the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in 2022.

Kate Nelson, Tlingit, is an award-winning writer and editor based in Minneapolis who focuses on amplifying important Indigenous change makers and issues. She has interviewed such luminaries as chef Sean Sherman, model/activist Quannah ChasingHorse, and Reservation Dogs showrunner Sterlin Harjo, and written for publica­tions including The New York Times, National Geographic, Time, Elle, Esquire, Vanity Fair, and others. A lifelong storyteller, she is a former magazine editor-in-chief, a two-time James Beard Foundation Media Award nominee, and an avid equestrian in her free time.

Kristin Donnelly is the author of Modern Potluck and Cauliflower from Short Stake Editions and has worked on over a dozen other cookbooks as a co-author, recipe developer, and project manager. For eight years, she was is a food editor at Food & Wine magazine and has written about food and lifestyle for many magazines, including Martha Stewart Living, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Women's Health, and Parents. She lives in New Hope, Pennsylvania, with her husband and daughter.