Stephanie Pyetwetmokwe DeSpain

*Rooted In Fire* has been a labor of love. This book is 2 years in the making but is full of a life time of stories, passion and recipes collected throughout my life. It’s finally available on Pre-Sale anywhere you can buy books. Thank you to my friends, family, literary agent and publishing team for your support and encouragement throughout this process. 💖💖. #indigenouscooking #nativeamericancuisine #mexicanamericancuisine #cookbook #indigenous #harperonebooks #cookbookclub

As Season 3 kicks off on Jan 28th, reflecting on the incredible journey since my Season 1 win is truly surreal. From growth to new accomplishments, it’s been an amazing ride and I thank creator daily for all I’ve been blessed to do. Excited to cheer on the upcoming chefs tackling the challenge! 🔪 #nextlevelchef #Season3Premiere

Episode 2 of season 6 of TOC is airing tomorrow! @foodnetwork #tournamentofchampions #foodnetwork

PART I: Thank you for being part of Cal State LA’s 2nd Annual Food Access Summit ✨ We are deeply grateful for everyone’s time, wisdom, and commitment to advancing food and healing justice. Because of you, we created a space rooted in connection, culture, and community, bringing together more than 250 members of our campus and surrounding community. This gathering was a reminder of what’s possible when we come together: to learn, to share, and to honor the knowledge and lived experiences that shape this work. Our workshop facilitators, local artists, keynote speaker @chefpyet , students, and campus and community partners brought such powerful insight and sacred gifts—you continue to transform what food justice leadership looks like in our communities. This summit would not have been the same without you. 💛 📸: @joren.photography & @calstatelanss #FoodJustice #CalStateLA #CommunityCare #FoodAccess #CollectiveHealing

My bridal look guide is finally here 🤍✨ One of my favorite details from my wedding day was collaborating with @cheekbonebeauty on my custom Perfect Pout Bridal Lip Kit 💋 Creating a bridal shade that felt soft, timeless, and truly me was so special. Swipe through for a few of my wedding day beauty essentials, sweet moments from the celebration, and some of the details that made the day feel magical ✨ Even more meaningful $5 from every lip kit sold is being donated to @soohshinalisisterproject to support Indigenous women and community wellness. Indigenous women supporting Indigenous women. Beauty with purpose. #CheekboneBeauty #BridalLookGuide #IndigenousOwned #partner #BeautyWithPurpose

2026 brides… this one is for you. 💄✨👰🏽‍♀️ My wedding shade, created in partnership with @cheekbonebeauty She’s soft. She’s bold. She’s THAT GIRL!! $5 from every purchase supports So’oh-Shinálí Sister Project out of Los Angeles (please go see the amazing things they are doing in community) @soohshinalisisterproject This collab is more than make up its POWERFUL! Because when women unite we create real impact. MUA: @paintedbypetra #BrideEnergy #BridalLook #IndigenousOwned #BeautyWithImpact WeddingMakeup #partner

Come camping with us! #happilyhernandez #camping

I haven’t had much time to post much about my wedding. The truth is I’m a bit sad that it’s over. I’ve been taking time to soak it all in and be in the present moment through each phase of it all. It was easily the best day of my life! I can’t wait to share more details with you all, but for now here are some cute behind the scenes of me getting ready to make a life long commitment to the love of my life. Big thanks to my make up @paintedbypetra artist who made me feel the most beautiful I’ve ever felt for my special day! 💞 Fun fact, I had a complete meltdown because I tried to do my own hair which I failed miserably!! So my bestie @theneedlenurse sprung into action to help me get myself together 😂😂. Thank you @emmieandhercamera for these precious photos of moments I will cherish forever!! 💗✨💫 #bride #bridalinspo #bride2026

Tonight isn’t just about competition—it’s about visibility. To see Indigenous chefs, ingredients, and foodways highlighted on a platform like Food Network means something deeper. It’s a step toward honoring the original people of this land and recognizing the richness and diversity of the cuisines that shape America. Grateful for every chef who showed up, every story shared, and every person behind the scenes who helped bring this to life. May this be one of many. 🤎🔥#chopped #foodnetwork

🔥Keynote Spotlight🔥 We’re excited to welcome Chef Pyet DeSpain—award-winning global private chef, winner of Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef, and author of Rooted in Fire. Through her Indigenous fusion cuisine, Pyet brings Native American and Mexican traditions to life through powerful storytelling and bold flavor. Her keynote will explore how food can nourish, heal, and restore mind, body, and spirit. ⏰ Keynote: 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM She’ll also lead a hands-on workshop: Rooted in Fire: Exploring Indigenous Foodways Through Chef Pyet’s Cookbook ⏰ 11:30 PM – 12:15 PM 🎟 You won’t want to miss out! We’ll be raffling copies of her new cookbook! 🌽✨ Register for the event through the Linktree in the @myeddiesessentials bio 🔗

Premiering Tuesday, April 21st at 9/8 c “Indigenous Inspiration” The first all indigenous Chef competition episode on Chopped and Food Network and I had the honor of being a guest judge! #Chopped @FoodNetwork

The Haida people are still on their ancestral lands — not on a reservation, but where they’ve always been. Long before colonization, the Haida were հայտնի as fierce seafarers of the North Pacific — so skilled and formidable that some have called them the “Vikings of Alaska.” Traveling in massive cedar canoes, they navigated rough coastal waters, traded across vast distances, and defended their territory with strength and strategy. Their connection to the ocean wasn’t just survival — it was identity, power, and sovereignty. Unlike many tribes in the lower 48 who were forcibly displaced, Alaska Native communities like the Haida were never removed in the same way. Instead, colonization showed up differently — through disease, economic pressure, and legal systems that tried to redefine land ownership rather than physically relocate entire nations. That shift came to a head with the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA), signed in 1971 and implemented in 1972. The U.S. government extinguished aboriginal land titles, replacing them with 44 million acres and nearly $1 billion distributed through Native-owned corporations. No reservations. No treaties. Just a corporate system meant to reshape Indigenous land into something the government could manage. For the Haida and other Alaska Native peoples, this created a complicated reality: ownership without full sovereignty, land without the same protections, and identity tied to systems never designed for them. Today, those corporations still play a major role — creating economic opportunity while also raising ongoing questions about culture, land stewardship, and what true self-determination really looks like. And still — the Haida remain. Ocean people. Warriors. Navigator. Unremoved. Unbroken. #haida #alaskalife #landback #indigenouspeople #indigenousrights