Rooted in Fire: A Celebration of Native American and Mexican Cooking

Next Level Chef winner Pyet De Spain celebrates her Mexican and Native American heritage in this collection of mouthwatering recipes, a vibrant fusion that ties us to the land and to one another.

Star chef Pyet DeSpain rose to prominence as the first winner of Gordon Ramsey’s Fox television show Next Level Chef. Now, in her debut cookbook, she shares the joy of cooking fueled by her burning passion for Native American and Mexican American cuisine. Rooted in Fire: A Celebration of Native American and Mexican Cooking is a tribute to her dual heritage—a gorgeously crafted celebration of the diversity of food and the stories, traditions, culture, and profound philosophies of Indigenous people that season each meal.Pyet shows you how to incorporate a delicious range of key ingredients—from venison, dandelion greens, and wild salmon to sunchokes, bison, and native berries—into more than sixty fusion dishes. Family and friends will be excited to gather around the table to enjoy sweet and savory food such as:Duck CarnitasHoney and Habanero Roasted Butternut SquashFry BreadMexican Chocolate & Mezcal CakeCorn Silk and Honey TeaWojapi BBQ SauceIn addition to her inventive and palate pleasing recipes, Pyet invites home cooks to honor the seasons on our beautiful Earth and connect with essential foodways. “This is more than just a cookbook,” Pyet writes. “It’s giving a voice to Indigenous people, while also highlighting the fusion of my two cultures with fire and purpose.”

About the Author

Pyet (an abbreviation of her inherited Native American name Pyetwetmokwe) is a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribe, an award winning and global private chef, and the first winner of Gordon Ramsay’s groundbreaking cooking competition series, Next Level Chef. In 2021, Entrepreneur Magazine named her one of the Top 25 best private chefs in Los Angeles. Her life’s work is dedicated to Indigenous Fusion Cuisine, where she combines the food of her heritage, both Native American and Mexican. Pyet’s passion is to uplift Indigenous culture and traditions via storytelling, traveling, and cooking. Originally from the Osage Indian Reservation and Kansas City, Kansas, she now resides in Los Angeles.