The New Native Kitchen: Celebrating Modern Recipes of the American Indian

Celebrate modern Indigenous cuisine with this beautiful cookbook from the renowned Native foods educator and former chef of Mitsitam Native Foods Café at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.

This groundbreaking cookbook brings together modern interpretations of ancestral recipes from Indigenous communities across North America. From comforting stews and grilled game to plant-based dishes and seasonal specialties, each recipe honors cultural heritage while embracing contemporary tastes.

From Freddie Bitsoie, the former executive chef at Mitsitam Native Foods Café at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, and James Beard Award–winning author James O. Fraioli, New Native Kitchen is a celebration of Indigenous cuisine.

Accompanied by original artwork by Gabriella Trujillo and offering delicious dishes like Cherrystone Clam Soup from the Northeastern Wampanoag and Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin from the Pueblo peoples, Bitsoie showcases the variety of flavor and culinary history on offer from coast to coast, providing modern interpretations of 100 recipes that have long fed this country.

Featuring stunning photography, cultural insights, and profiles of Native chefs and food artisans, New Native Kitchen is more than a cookbook―it’s a journey through history, sustainability, and community. Whether you’re seeking authentic flavors, exploring Indigenous foodways, or simply looking for wholesome, flavorful meals, this book offers inspiration for every kitchen.

Highlights:

• Over 100 recipes rooted in Native traditions and adapted for modern kitchens.
• Stories and cultural context from Indigenous chefs and communities.
• Guidance on sourcing traditional ingredients and sustainable cooking practices.

Perfect for home cooks, food enthusiasts, and anyone interested in culinary heritage and modern Indigenous cuisine. With recipes as varied as the peoples that inspired them, New Native Kitchen celebrates the Indigenous heritage of American cuisine. 

Freddie Bitsoie is a proud Navajo and an award-winning chef. He is the former executive chef of Mitsitam Native Foods Café, located inside Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Bitsoie was previously the executive chef of Fire Rock Casino and is the winner of the Smithsonian’s Native Chef Competition. He has contributed to a number of Native American cookbooks, including America: The Cookbook (Phaidon, 2017) and James Beard Award–winner Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen (University of Minnesota Press, 2017). He lives in Washington, D.C. James O. Fraioli is a James Beard Award–winning author with nearly 40 books to his credit. He lives in Seattle, Washington.