Indigenous Chef, Caterer, Speaker, and Owner, Birch Basket Catering; Seattle, WA

Hillel Echo-Hawk (Pawnee/Athabaskan) is an Indigenous cook, caterer, and speaker born and raised in the interior of Alaska around the Athabaskan village of Mentasta. She received her degree from Seattle Culinary Academy and has worked as a cook in some of Seattle’s most innovative and popular restaurants. After opening Birch Basket, her food and work has been featured in multiple national and international media sources, including the James Beard Foundation, National Geographic, PBS, Vogue, and more. Hillel has spoken at conferences on Indigenous Food Sovereignty and its intersections with social justice, colonialism, and environmental injustice. She provides catering and private chef services, with pre-colonial, Indigenous ingredients, using traditional and modern techniques, to tell the story of the Indigenous people. Hillel is a sister, aunt, daughter, and active member of her community. It’s her strong belief that food should feed not only the body, but the spirit of the entire community. (Seattle, WA) @birchbasket