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Indigenous Food Lab

is a professional Indigenous kitchen and training center covering all aspects of food service; research and development; Indigenous food identification, gathering, cultivation, and preparation; and all components of starting and running a successful culinary business based around Native traditions and Indigenous foods.

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IFL Market

The Indigenous Food Lab Market is a kitchen and retail space that offers high-quality Indigenous foods and products to our community.

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VENDORS

Vendors featured in the Indigenous Food Lab Market.

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Indigenous Food Lab Market

Now Open!

Tuesday - Saturday: 11 am - 6 pm

Serving hot food:
Tuesday - Saturday: 11 am - 5 pm

Spirit Kitchen, producing grab-and-go and made-to-order Indigenous food.

Midtown Global Market,
920 E. Lake Street in Minneapolis.

About NATIFS

North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS), founded by The Sioux Chef Sean Sherman, is dedicated to addressing the economic and health crises affecting Native communities by re-establishing Native foodways. We imagine a new North American food system that generates wealth and improves health in Native communities through food-related enterprises.

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Projects

In collaboration with national organizations the NATIFS team has put together a series of recipes, training and education resources.

USDA / FDPIR

USDA Indigenous Food Sovereignty Initiative

Minnesota Department of Education

Minnesota Wild Rice

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Recipes

Videos

Books

USDA / FDPIR: Recipes, Videos, Forageable Plants

Sean Sherman cooking at Owamni Restaurant

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RESOURCES | RECIPES |VIDEOS

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NORTH AMERICAN TRADITIONAL INDIGENOUS FOOD SYSTEMS

How one chef is cooking up curiosity about Indigenous cuisine and causes

Jul 19, 2023 | Related articles

Chef Andrea Murdoch is busy in the kitchen of the Same Café in Denver — a pay-what-you-can restaurant run entirely by volunteers. She commonly uses the kitchen space when she needs an extra oven or two … Read the...

Book Talks: Notable Native People by Adrienne Keen

Feb 16, 2023 | NĀTIFS, Related articles

Our staff is constantly educating themselves and striving to have a more full understanding of the worlds we walk in. We will be starting a new blog post type, called a Book Talks. These will feature important books, zines, articles, and other media that our team...

Gift Ideas From NATIFS
celebrating indigenous cuisine at restaurants accross turtle island
Producers Highlight: Bow & Arrow Corn
Producer highlights: ramona farms’ tepary beans
Producer Highlight: Pemmican Patty

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Thanksgiving isn’t a celebration for everyone. For many of us, it’s a day of mourning—a time to reflect on the genocide of our peoples across North America. But it can also be a moment to come together, reject colonialism, and explore the lasting impact it has had on Indigenous diet and foodways.
One way to start these conversations is by embracing truly Indigenous foods and honoring the stories of the people who gifted them to the world. Join our Executive Director, @the_sioux_chef Sean Sherman, tonight at 7 PM CST on YouTube as he shares some of his favorite recipes for a decolonized holiday that everyone can enjoy.

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Rooted in Indigenous flavors, this Maple & Sage Sweet Potato Mash combines the natural sweetness of maple with the earthy aroma of sage. A simple and nourishing dish using pre-colonial ingredients that celebrates the richness of these foods. Try it at home and let us know what you think! #indigenousfoodlab #decolonizeyourpantry

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Join @maryjane_flowergirl and her mother Judy Oatman from the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) Nation in our test kitchen as they showcase two incredible salmon recipes! They brought their delicious Nacó`x or Chinook salmon and were open to trying an Indigenous version of their beloved fried salmon recipe for the first time here at the Indigenous Food Lab. Using oat milk, cornmeal flour, and crushed corn chips—all accessible Indigenous ingredients.
Join us live on YouTube today at 7PM to watch the recipe comparison and interact with us in real time!

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Today, we’re honored to welcome @maryjane_flowergirl and her mother Judy Oatman from the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce) Nation as they process Nacó`x, the Chinook salmon, with such care and respect. 🐟✨ Nacó`x has been part of Nez Perce food systems on the Columbia Plateau since time immemorial and holds a sacred place in their creation story.

For the Nimiipuu people, salmon are more than just food; they represent a profound connection to the land, water, and ancestors who have sustained these traditions across generations. Join us live at 4pm on YouTube to watch the full video!

#NimiipuuNation #IndigenousFoodways #ChinookSalmon #NATIFS #IndigenousFoodLab

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Join Chef @rob_kinneen as he shares his recipe for Alaskan Cockle Soup! This comforting dish brings together unique Indigenous ingredients from Alaska’s coastal waters, with salmon, cockles, and shrimp as the stars. The broth is layered with flavors from fresh onion, fennel, turnips, black seaweed and tomatoes, while cornmeal adds a cozy, savory thickness to each spoonful.

Note: black seaweed, a sacred ingredient not commercially available, plays a special role in this dish. For home cooks, alternatives like dulse, sea lettuce, or kombu work as great substitutions. Warm up with this taste of Alaska! Catch Rob`s full step-by-step guide on our YouTube channel, link in bio!
#AlaskanCuisine #IndigenousFoodLab #foodsovereignty

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