Gather with us for Forest, Food & Fire 🔥🌱— a summit where cooks, culture‑keepers, and land stewards explore how ecological food ways restore ecosystems and strengthen community resilience.
Hear stories from Indigenous chefs, taste fire‑cooked dishes rooted in place, and learn practical steps you can take in your own kitchen, garden, or neighborhood.
Event Tickets
You can buy a ticket for the classes during the day, the Indigenous Chef Challenge, or both!
Class sessions will include:
A Food Forest tour exploring this 150 acre site,
Food Forest and ecological design
A plant walk,
Grafting,
Fermentation,
Identifying & mixing native spices,
....and much more!
The Indigenous Chef Challenge is a competition between three chefs: René Locklear White (Lumbee), Justin Pioche (Navajo), and Juan De La Cruz (Oneida). Each chef will be given a main protein that they will then build a plate around, which will include ingredients that they have to forage from the surrounding land. Their creations will be judged by a panel of experts based on how they incorporated the main ingredient, use of the foraged foods, and audience score.
TICKETS FOR THE DAY OF CLASSES
We have a limited space of 125 attendees for the event, so we ask for a deposit of $25 to complete your registration for the classes during the day. We don’t want cost to be a barrier for anyone to attend, however, so when you arrive you will have the option to either receive your $25 back or to leave the fee as a donation to the REED Center. This option applies to families and individuals. There is a free access pass available for the day of classes that is offered to Indigenous people, school professionals, or William & Mary students or faculty. If that applies to you, you can select your free access pass at ticket check-out.
TICKETS FOR THE CHALLENGE
The Indigenous Chef Challenge is ticketed separately at $40 per person. There is a free access pass available for the Indigenous Chef Challenge that is offered to Indigenous people, school professionals, or William & Mary students or faculty. If that applies to you, you can select your free access pass at ticket check-out.
TICKETS FOR CAMPING
Camping is charged separately at $25 per camp site, per night.
Event Schedule
Friday, June 12th
4-9:30 pm: Campers arrive
8:00 pm: Fire circle
Saturday, June 13th (exact times still tentative)
10 am: Opening Circle
10:30-11:30 am: Class Session 1
11:40-12:30 pm: Class Session 2
12:40-1:30 pm: Class Session 3
1:30-2:45 pm: Lunch at the Main Tent: A meal made by Mohawk Chef Joe Haber
1:40-2:15 pm: Learning Session: TEWFA Developed Resources
2:15-2:35 pm: An Indigenous Food Sovereignty Panel
2:35-2:50 pm: Introduction of our Chef Judges and Competitors and unveiling of the chefs’ surprise ingredients.
2:50-4:15 pm: Chef Foraging: Chefs and their teams will go forage for ingredients! Anyone can follow the chefs as they forage.
4:00 pm: Indigenous Chefs Challenge begins (Separately Ticketed Event)
6:30 pm: End Cooking, Judges Reviews and Audience Reviews
7:15 pm: Announcing the Indigenous Chef Challenge winners
8:00 pm: Fire Circle
June 14th
11:00 am Campers Depart
We will be announcing our chefs and teachers in the coming weeks.
Register to reserve your spot and be part of a shared table that supports healthier land and communities.