A DOCUMENTARY SERIES
Sean Sherman (founder of The Sioux Chef) embarks on a mission to revitalize Native American cuisine by exploring Indigenous foodways across Turtle Island, as many tribal communities call North America, and across the globe. While uplifting food sovereignty and showcasing ingredients and methods that culture bearers have preserved for centuries even amid colonization, the renowned Oglala Lakota chef illuminates how food, culture, history, and land space are all intertwined, reveals important lessons about our collective past, and prompts us to rethink our plates—and our lives— at a time of great environmental peril.3-time
James Beard Award-winning chef
Times 100
Most Influential People of the Year 2023
$1M
Advance on his upcoming cookbook Turtle Island
2023
Julia Child Award Recipient
While centered around food, NATIVE TABLE is not just about delicious meals. The series will encompass broader themes of environmental stewardship, health, and cultural preservation, drawing deeply from ancient Native American traditions.
This innovative television series combines elements of historical reevaluation, cultural exploration, outdoor adventure, healthy living and culinary delights. Each episode is a journey into a different region of North America, as Sherman connects the intertwined narratives of America's past with his quest for a more sustainable and healthy food system, guided by the wisdom of Indigenous culinary traditions.
The series will also feature leading Indigenous cultural figures who will share their own experiences with their food traditions.
Our hope is this television series will spark meaningful change in the way America eats and farms, inspiring everyone from aspiring chefs and small farmers to anyone looking for ways to eat healthier and more sustainably.
“As Native people, we are in an era of reclamation, actively seeking to learn more about the generations that came before us. We are part of a larger effort mounting throughout North America to decolonize our food systems.” - Sean Sherman
Sean Sherman’s mission is highly personal. Growing up on the Pine Ridge Reservation, the site of the infamous Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890 and the Wounded Knee Incident of 1973, Sherman was taught little in school about his people’s history, and grew up eating mostly canned government commodity food.
After a successful career as a high-end chef, Sherman walked away from cooking European-influenced menus, and set off to discover the secrets of Indigenous cooking, along with finding revelations about how to live in harmony with nature, and our bodies.
By reviving Indigenous cuisines–typically rich in vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, nuts, and seeds – and re-discovering Native American food traditions–sustainable practices tied to the land and seasons – Sherman offers a blueprint for healthier eating that also encourages biodiversity, soil health, and sustainable harvesting methods that have never been more critical for the health of the planet.
KATE NELSON
Kate is an Alaska Native Tlingit tribal member, award-winning journalist, and former magazine editor-in-chief who is dedicated to amplifying the stories of Indigenous change-makers and issues.
Co-Host, Co-Producer, Writer
KAHLIL HUDSON
Kahlil Hudson is an Emmy Award–winning Alaska Native director, Sundance Fellow, and Tlingit tribal member whose films which including WILDLAND, Low and Clear, and HBO’s Navajo Police: Class 57 have earned major festival awards and critical acclaim.
Executive Producer & Director
MICHAEL HIRSCHORN
Michael is a multi-Emmy Award-winning documentary producer and the CEO of Ish Entertainment, known for creating impactful, thought-provoking content across film and television.
Executive Producer
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