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Potawatami Chef Pyet DeSpain's new cookbook is part food, part memoir and part homage to her fusion of heritages

Sage maple sweet potatoes. (Courtesy of Kristin Teig)
Courtesy of Kristin Teig
Sage maple sweet potatoes. (Courtesy of Kristin Teig)

Rooted in Fire,” the new cookbook by award-winning chef Pyet DeSpain brims with recipes celebrating both her Potawatami and Mexican heritages. But it’s also a memoir of grit and resilience, and a treasure trove of information about Indigenous culture, language and heritage.

DeSpain, who made headlines winning Gordon Ramsey’s “Next Level Chef,” joins host Robin Young to talk about recipes, rituals, sustainability, resilience, and, of course, Thanksgiving.

Book excerpt: ‘Rooted in Fire’

By Pyet DeSpain 

Excerpted with permission from the publisher. 

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

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