Chef Crystal Wahpepah

Crystal Wahpepah is the​ ​first​ ​Native​ ​American​ ​chef​ ​to​ ​be​ ​featured​ ​on​ the ​Food​ ​Network’s​ ​Chopped. She proudly serves​ ​authentic​ ​Native​ ​cuisine​ ​based​ ​on​ ​her ​​Kickapoo​​ ​heritage and cooks​ ​Native​ ​foods​ ​such​ ​as​ ​bison,​ ​venison,​​squash,​ ​and​ ​corn​ ​with​ ​recipes​ ​passed​ ​on​ through generations of her family. Wahpepah ​successfully​ ​completed​ ​the​ ​Bread​​Project​ ​program​ ​in​ ​Oakland​ ​and​ ​went​ to ​La​​Cocina​ ​in San​ ​Francisco. She ​received​ ​the​ ​Indigenous​ ​Artist​ ​and​ ​Activist​ Award​​,​ ​and​​was inducted​ ​into​ ​the​ ​Native​ ​American​ ​Almanac​ ​as​ ​the​ ​first​ ​Native​ ​American​ ​Woman Entrepreneur​ ​Catering​ ​Business​. She aspires to​ ​open​ ​a​ ​restaurant​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Bay​ ​Area​. Crystal ​grew​ ​up​ ​in​ ​​the​ ​urban​ ​Native American​ ​community of Oakland and was​ ​raised​ ​with​ ​fellow​ ​Native​ ​American​ ​people​ ​from​ ​many​ ​different​ ​nations.​ While she is a member​ ​of​ ​the​ ​​Kickapoo​​ ​Tribe​ ​of Oklahoma, ​she​ ​learned how​ ​to​ ​cook​ ​many​ ​styles​ ​of​ ​Native​ ​food​ ​and​ ​how​ ​our foods bring​ ​us​ ​together​ ​as​ ​people.  

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