S6 Ep17: Uncovering the Hidden Secrets Behind Time-Honored Culinary Cuisines with Dana Thompson
“The most irresponsible thing I could do as an entrepreneur is fail.” — Dana Thompson
Native foodways have been an integral part of various indigenous cultures for centuries. However, due to the economic and health crises affecting native communities, access to traditional foods has become more difficult. This has resulted in a lack of culturally relevant food options contributing to the overall health disparities across the continent.
Re-establishing native cultures and making traditional foods more accessible through noble initiatives such as community gardens, farmer’s markets, and educational programs is an essential step towards addressing these issues and promoting greater equity for indigenous peoples.
The Sioux Chef, co-owned by Dana Thompson is helping to bridge the gap between traditional culture and accessibility. Through their commitment to equity, they help indigenous people reclaim their heritage while providing affordable, tasty, and nutritious meal options. By understanding the importance of food in indigenous culture, they can also create a platform where everyone can experience the richness of native cuisine.
Listen in as Justine and Dana talk about how to create a company that champions the indigenous community, how to build an authentic brand, the benefits of involving the community in business building, the importance of continuity in branding, and the key to making good decisions.
Connect with Dana:
As co-owner of the company The Sioux Chef, Dana Thompson, lineal descendant of the Wahpeton-Sisseton and Mdewakanton Dakota tribes and lifetime Minnesota native, has been working within the food sovereignty movement for the past six years. Within that time, she has traveled extensively throughout tribal communities engaging in critical ways to improve food access. Last year Dana jointly founded the non-profit NATIFS (North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems) for which she is acting Executive Director. Through this entity, she will focus her expertise on addressing and treating ancestral trauma through decolonized perspectives of honoring and leveraging Indigenous wisdom.
Connect with The Sioux Chef:
Episode Highlights:
00:48 Inside The Sioux Chef
05:03 Relationships Create Success
09:21 Building the Community
11:17 Continuity in Branding
14:24 How to Make Good Decisions
Tweets:
The current economic and health crises are having a devastating impact on native communities. Learn how to develop a sustainable food system that promotes access to healthy and culturally-relevant cuisine with @jreichman and Dana Thompson, the Co-Owner of @the_sioux_chef. #podcast #entrepreneurship #socialgood #inspiration #impactmatters #NextGenChef #EssentialIngredients #TheSiouxChef #nativecuisine #indigenouscommunity
Inspirational Quotes:
03:53 “The philosophy of the company is that we eliminate colonial ingredients as a starting point." —Dana Thompson
05:34 “There are a lot of people with lots of great ideas, but the idea is, can you execute them?” —Justine Reichman
08:39 “If I am passionate about something, I'm going to eliminate any barrier that is there from preventing the success of that— that's a skill that I possess.” —Dana Thompson
10:02 “A key part of the brand strategy [is to] make it authentic to all of those different communities." —Dana Thompson
10:33 “It's important to be inclusive and accessible. Sometimes we forget to go ask the community. We think we know what the community wants, but we don't know unless we ask. —Justine Reichman
14:53 “You can't make good decisions unless you make mistakes." —Dana Thompson
16:16 “The most irresponsible thing I could do as an entrepreneur is fail." —Dana Thompson
16:37 “Making mistakes is part of the journey and learning from them is part of your successes.” —Justine Reichman
16:54 “Those little mistakes can feel really big at the moment. But you have to have a thick skin and the resiliency to know you made the best decision with a good heart." —Dana Thompson
Transcriptions:
Justine Reichman Hello, and welcome to Essential Ingredients I'm your host Justine Reichman. Today with me is Dana Thompson. She is the Co-Owner of The Company The Sioux Chef. Welcome, Dana,
Dana Thompson Thank you so much for having me.
Justine Reichman I'm so pleased to have you to learn about you to learn what you're working on. It's quite a pleasure.
Dana Thompson It's a joy to be here.
Justine Reichman So Dana, for those that don't know you, and are unfamiliar with The Company The Sioux Chef, can you just share a little bit about the company?
Dana Thompson Absolutely. I own The Company The Sioux Chef with my partner, Sean Sherman, who's a chef. And I came on in 2014. He had just started the company a few months before, and we have built the entity over the last eight years. I managed him for the first seven years. And throughout that we have a catering company, a food truck called Tatanka Truck. We both do speaking engagements and different types of community interaction, especially with the tribal communities. And then we opened a restaurant Owamni here in Minneapolis in July of 2021, which won best new restaurant in the nation by the James Beard Awards this last June.
Justine Reichman Wow, congratulations.
Dana Thompson In addition to that, we also founded a nonprofit called NATIFS, which stands for North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems. And the first project under that 501 C three umbrella is called the indigenous food lab, which is going to be a culinary training center, and a television studio to capture some of this knowledge to share with the tribal communities. And big pillar of our work there is also about bringing back indigenous education, both of those food access and indigenous education were systematically removed by the US and Canadian governments.
Justine Reichman Wow. You have your plate full. And you are just doing so much. So first of all, how did this all start? I mean, you have so much underneath this umbrella. Where did you guys start and how did that come to be?
Dana Thompson Well, for me, personally, I have a history in food and I also have a history in music. I was a professional musician for many years, and also a talent buyer and booking agent and kind of entrepreneurial in that sense. And I also grew up knowing a lot about my indigenous history through my mother. My mother's bloodline is French and Dakota. So I have Mdewakanton in Dakota and Wahpeton and Sisseton blood. And I spent a lot of time with my mom learning about the plants and agriculture and the history of our indigeneity. My father is 100% Scandinavian, which is why I have this light skin and fair eyes for your skin and blue eyes. And so when I met Sean Sherman, he had just kind of had the epiphany about starting the company, and he had the original vision for it. And I knew how deeply important that that was. And so I gave it the full strength of all of my attributes, all of my skill sets apply perfectly to creating this kind of, for lack of a better term, sort of an indigenous empire where we can make change, social impact, and inspire other entrepreneurs to keep building.
Justine Reichman Wow, that's amazing. So what was the first initiative that you guys started with?
“The philosophy of the company is that we eliminate colonial ingredients as a starting point." —Dana Thompson
Dana Thompson We had a catering company first. And so, you know, a core part of that is to just hire indigenous people that were interested in food to give them skills and to teach them how to operate in a decolonized way, Because the philosophy of the company is that we eliminate colonial ingredients as a starting point. So one of the disciplines is that we don't use wheat flour, dairy or refined sugar at all, and then we even go--
Justine Reichman What is the rationale behind that?
Dana Thompson Because those were not here before colonialism.
Justine Reichman Oh, okay. Right. That makes sense. Okay.
Dana Thompson Yeah. So if you remove those ingredients, you automatically lower the glycemic content. And so it becomes nutrient dense and full of fiber and all sorts of really great, especially micro local foods, which is what we're focused on. And then we also don't use beef, pork and chicken. And because those were not here before colonialism as well. And so it expands the offerings of different types of proteins and just kind of puts us in a healthier box.
Justine Reichman Wow.That is so wonderful. And so when you came on board, he had been doing-- your partner had been doing this for four months, right? And he had a vision for it. And he was doing this as a solo entrepreneur. Is that correct?
Dana Thompson As I understand it, yes.
Justine Reichman Understand it. Okay. And so, he brought you in because you guys have different skill sets, is that why?
“There are a lot of people with lots of great ideas, but the idea is, can you execute them?” —Justine Reichman
Dana Thompson Completely complementary skill sets. I've learned that from advisors that we have that it's a classic combination of a relationship that creates success. Apparently, visionaries are sort of a dime a dozen, you know, people have great ideas all the time. But unless there's an integrator, a person that has a complementary skill set that is willing to like, make hard decisions and keep things on the tracks and be very strategic in the operating, and the logistics, you know, it generally won't succeed.
Justine Reichman Right. Yeah. I think there are a lot of people with lots of great ideas that the idea is executor. Right? So from what I'm hearing is he brought you in to execute on his big vision?
Dana Thompson Absolutely. Yeah. And it was the pleasure of a lifetime just really a privilege to be able to help that all come to fruition.
Justine Reichman So he had all these different ideas and so you guys started with the catering and what was after the catering? What came next?
Dana Thompson We're building the catering company, as I was booking Sean, for speaking engagements and different types of interaction with the communities. We were starting to do community meals, traveling to different tribal communities, so that Sean could speak, and sometimes would do cooking demonstrations or different things that would kind of inspire, you know, the vision of what we were trying to do. And so, you know, it just sort of started naturally, organically happening. And then we got him a book deal through the University of Minnesota, and got Beth Dooley to help Shawn write that book, which was an extraordinary success itself and won the James Beard Award for Best American cookbook. And then we just kept building our team and building our team and in 2016, we started trying to get our 501(c)(3) status, it took us two years to get our 501(c)(3) status, because we realized that the impact that we wanted to make in the world, you know, was pretty big, and that there would be philanthropic funds available, possibly to help create, you know, what we were trying to do the vision itself. And so, you know, we were able to get our 501(c)(3) status in 2018 and have been building a staff ever since then. So now we have about 45 employees with a nonprofit. And with the for profit, including Owamni, we've got about 120 employees.
“If I am passionate about something, I'm going to eliminate any barrier that is there from preventing the success of that— that's a skill that I possess.” —Dana Thompson
Justine Reichman So what I find so inspiring is that you came on board, your partner had this vision, and you've been able to execute this, and you have this amazing entrepreneurial spirit and this amazing drive for it. And I'm curious, what do you think it is in your skill set and in your drive that enabled you to be able to do this, you come from a very different background, to be able to achieve all this amazing success?
Dana Thompson Well, I took a StrengthsFinder test a couple of years ago, and that was illuminating. You know, I took the Myers Briggs at one point, which was illuminating. I guess, I think I just have-- I've been, you know, a really hyper independent person my whole life. I moved away from home when I was 15. And graduated from high school while I was paying my own rent, and working almost full time at Perkins, waitressing. And my grades went up after I left home. And I have been just a really resourceful person. I'm scrappy. And I also have really strong opinions about things. And so, you know, I just-- I think that my drive is something and if I feel really, really passionate about something, I'm going to eliminate any barrier that is there from preventing the success of that that's a skill that I possess.
Justine Reichman That is truly is amazing what you've done. I mean, what year did you say you came on board here?
Dana Thompson 2014.
Justine Reichman 2014, I mean, we're not even 10 years, right? You came in, it's pretty scrappy, you came in with this gentleman, he has a great vision, and you've just been able to take it, you know, exponentially greater. So that is truly inspiring.
“A key part of the brand strategy [is to] make it authentic to all of those different communities." —Dana Thompson
Dana Thompson Thank you so much.
Justine Reichman And so, you know, when you first joined, could you see the path, was it a straight from here to there for you?
Dana Thompson You know, there was some pivoting for sure, as we collected information, and we would try something and see how it resonated with all of the different demographics because we needed vast community support. You know, our passion is about building resources for the tribal communities, but this is healthy for everyone. And so we had, you know, the foodies, we had the moms, you know, we had the hipsters, we had the-- we had all these different people that we really wanted to include in it. And it resonated in a really authentic way with all of those entities. But, you know, we marketed it, that's a key part of the brand strategy that I cultivated was how we could make it authentic to all of those different communities, you know, the tribal communities, and then all the ones that I just mentioned. And so as we were developing logos, as we were developing the website, as we were developing any kind of marketing material, I was always thinking about how we could approach it from a very inclusive standpoint.
“It's important to be inclusive and accessible. Sometimes we forget to go ask the community. We think we know what the community wants, but we don't know unless we ask. —Justine Reichman
Justine Reichman Yeah. I mean, that sounds amazing. And it sounds like, you know, what a way to come at it, because I like-- I think it's important to be inclusive and accessible. And I think that sometimes we forget to go ask the community, we think we know what the community wants, but really we don't know unless we ask.
Dana Thompson Absolutely. And not only just ask, like, verbally, but like, show-don't tell is a big part of my philosophy. So we would do a community meal, engage with the community, and then just listen. And I can't tell you how much the patience of that discipline helped us.
Justine Reichman Yeah. I think that's a very good learning to share with other founders and people trying to build community and learn for their own challenges as they build their businesses.
Dana Thompson Yeah. Absolutely. Absolutely. And, you know, as an entrepreneur, I cannot underscore enough how important it was for me to have a lot of continuity through all of the branding. It can feel really disjointed when, you know, consumers are just kind of yanked around a lot and things keep changing for no reason. It was really important to keep the continuity of the branding, you know, really kind of equal throughout all of the years. And as things were rolling out, we kind of pivoted a little bit, the kind of the colors and a little bit of the vibe for Owamni, because there was so much of a story to tell with a history of this river and the falls that are right here. The sacred space that Owamni stands on was a very important story for us to tell and really key to my story, because the book that my grandfather helped write, Where the Waters Gather and the Rivers Meet, is a really important document that preserved the indigenous names of all of these waterways through the eastern Sioux. And it was dedicated to my grandfather. And this is the most sacred space in the in the Dakota territory. So the fact that we were granted this space to open our first restaurant was a really meaningful experience. And so the branding for that had to be very specific to that.
Justine Reichman Yeah. I understand. And it's challenging when you have all these different brands, you don't want them to be twins, you want them to be cousins, or sisters of each other so that they all fit together. They're kind of a family of brands, kind of, right?
Dana Thompson Yep. And I wanted people to, like, look at a logo or see some marketing from one part of the company, and maybe even just subconsciously, they'd be like, Oh, I wonder if that's linked to The Company, The Sioux Chef.
Justine Reichman Exactly, exactly. Yeah. You know, we've experienced some of those challenges. And it is a challenge, right, to be able to create something that feels familiar, and feels like it's part of something without it being the same and without being completely disjointed.
Dana Thompson Right.
Justine Reichman Art to create it.
Dana Thompson It's super challenging. It's like creating a sculpture.
Justine Reichman Yeah. It really is and it's something that's really important, and it has to be given the time and dedication that it deserves.
Dana Thompson Oh, yeah, absolutely. And, you know, I mean, I don't take credit for this by any stretch of the imagination. But, you know, it's not lost on me that over the last eight years, the world has changed significantly. You know, there's now land recognition statements at almost all of the colleges that I have heard from. Different organizations, nonprofits will start a meeting with a land recognition, or just some humility about the space that they are on. And that I think is really powerful.
“You can't make good decisions unless you make mistakes." —Dana Thompson
Justine Reichman So through this whole journey, is there anything that, I mean, you've achieved so much, you've had so many learnings as do many entrepreneurs, you've had to pivot but is there anything you would have done differently?
Dana Thompson That is a hard question. I don't know if I would. I don't know if I would have done anything differently. I really feel like everything sort of happened in the way that it had to and sometimes it's messy. You know, like you had said like a straight line. The vision is like here to here, but it actually looks like a heart murmur, EKG graph. And you can't make good decisions unless you make mistakes. I've learned the most from my failures than anything else in my life. And, you know, thankfully, I had a partner that had, you know, the ability for us to sit down and be like, Okay, let's take a pulse check on that. How are we going to do it differently next time? Or what did we learn and what do we need to change, and we would just get up the next day and keep going?
Justine Reichman Well, I agree with you on the mistakes. I think the mistakes are some of our greatest new directions, our greatest achievements are because of the mistakes that we've made, the findings, you know, the mistakes that we've made. I mean, this podcast came because we were trying to do zooms, and that just wasn't working. So it's not a mistake, it just was not the right fit, right? So we had to pivot. And, you know, so I think that some of the mistakes are just a way to get to the right place, you know, it's a stepping stone.
“The most irresponsible thing I could do as an entrepreneur is fail." —Dana Thompson
Dana Thompson It takes courage, you know, you have to lean into your mistakes, and just try, because you can't predict the future. I don't ever want to predict the future. I just make my best guess, you know, with a good heart. And, you know, through the lens of what's best for the organization, because the most irresponsible thing I could do as an entrepreneur is fail.
Justine Reichman Right. And I think that, you know, one of the reasons we have this podcast is so that entrepreneurs like yourself can share their story, amplify their message so that others can hear some of the things that worked, and some of the things that didn't work. And to understand that making mistakes is part of the journey. And learning from them is part of the successes or your success.
“Making mistakes is part of the journey and learning from them is part of your successes.” —Justine Reichman
Dana Thompson Well, there's, you know, that's the thing is there's little mistakes, and then there's like filing for bankruptcy and having your, you know, world turned upside down. So those little mistakes can feel really big in the moment. But that's just, you have to have a thick skin and have the resiliency to know you made the best decision, you know, like I said, with a good heart.
Justine Reichman So you know, when you look at your future for The Company The Sioux Chef, and all the other entities that you guys have, I'm sure you guys have a vision, because it sounds like you guys are very forward thinking, and you guys have plans and a vision for your future. So I'm curious, what does that look like even if it's going to change?
Dana Thompson I certainly do. I think that, you know, there's a lot of different ways that we can kind of expand what we've been doing and work with other entities that want to build the same thing. I look forward to consulting a lot in the future and trying to help other entrepreneurs. I'm so passionate about building up, especially women entrepreneurs or indigenous entrepreneurs. And I think that there's a big demand. There are so many tribes, you know, there's over 1000 tribes just in the US and Canada that have federal recognition. And there's no federally recognized tribes, even in the state of California. So there's hundreds more there too. And so we have people with this tribal blood, the ancestral memory is held within their bodies. And so executing the vision of starting a catering company or doing soups or building a restaurant that wins a huge award, you know, there's a spectrum of successes and ways that they can kind of dig into their own micro local soup food systems so that they're able to serve their community and really serve their own heart, so serve their culture.
“Those little mistakes can feel really big at the moment. But you have to have a thick skin and the resiliency to know you made the best decision with a good heart." —Dana Thompson
Justine Reichman Wow, that's amazing. And so my next question is, if somebody wanted to connect with you, if they're looking for a consultant, because we have founders on here, we've got researchers on here, we've got VCs on here, we have people looking on in wellness, and if they wanted to connect with you to be able to potentially get a consultant or just learn more about what you're doing, how would they do that?
Dana Thompson Well, my email address is Dana@sioux-chef.com So Sioux is S-I-O-U-X dash chef.com. And I'm on social media, and Dana.Noel Thompson on Instagram. And there's a lot of opportunities coming down the pipeline in the next couple of years. And I'm interested to kind of figure out how I can not spread myself too thin, but still kind of meet as much of the demand as there is. And so, you know, I'm really hopeful and excited about it.
Justine Reichman Well, I really appreciate you joining me today on the podcast. It was great to learn about you what you're doing. And we will stay in touch so we could learn how things progress because I know you've got a lot on your plate and a lot of things in the pipeline.
Dana Thompson It's true. It's been such a joy to meet you and to hear about about what you're doing here. So thank you for supporting entrepreneurs and healthy food systems.
Justine Reichman Awesome. Thanks so much.
Dana Thompson You too.
