🔥FOOD JOURNAL PART 2🔥 Holy Moly Bar Popup Event

I want to reflect on what recently took place in Tacoma, WA.

I hosted a pop-up at Holy Moly Bar. It was more than a dinner, it was a conversation. My goal was to introduce First Nations foods into a space where they are rarely seen and challenge how we relate to alcohol. This wasn’t about judgment but about inviting dialogue about why we consume, how we consume, and the meaning behind it.

Alcohol has deeply harmed Indigenous communities, often simplified under the myth of “firewater.” Yet alcohol itself is neutral; its power lies in our relationship with it. That inspired my first course:

🔥FIREWATER with Yaupon Tea and Juniper Sticky Corn (Southeastern United States)

Juniper Sticky Corn reflects warmth, excess, and the influence of alcohol, infused with medicinal juniper powder for balance. Yaupon tea, sacred to Southeastern Indigenous peoples, offers purification and ceremony. Together, they represent two opposing forces: altered states and natural order. The dish ignites alcohol in flame, symbolizing transformation. Each sip, each bite, asked guests to consume with intention, because every choice carries a story.

Holy Moly was the perfect setting: rustic wood grain, minimalist sophistication, and bartenders skilled in the history of spirits. Owner Matt Coppins welcomed my vision, recognizing this was about honest engagement with alcohol’s role, not condemnation.

This event also marked my return to Tacoma, where I had an opportunity of opening a restaurant before an accident in 2021 derailed my plans. Preparing for this pop-up allowed me to reignite that purpose, bringing food sovereignty and healing into public spaces.

Thank you to Ms. Janes Fine Dining in Fife for providing prep space and ingredients, to Matt and the @holymolybar staff for their openness, to @asa_nutter for standing by me, and to @cowlitzforager for grounding me in the rhythms of the land.

And to every guest: thank you for listening, feeling, and understanding. That is the real nourishment.

📸 A sampling of the night. Courtesy of Kris Landes✨
Descriptions will be noted at another time. Still hunting for photos from the event. 😭

©Chef Ramon Shiloh/2025

🔥FOOD JOURNAL PART ONE🔥 Leonard Peltier/Bison Tongue

In tumultuous times, I believe the most powerful way to bring people together is through gatherings where food serves as a bridge to understanding. These spaces create opportunities for meaningful conversations and healthy dialogue that can transform problems into solutions.

Even while practicing food justice, offering meals with care and diplomacy, our concerns are often overlooked by those unable to relate when sharing a table.

I was originally scheduled to cook Bison Tongue for Leonard Peltier. This opportunity held deep meaning for me and could have marked a turning point in my life. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Leonard and his family had to postpone. In response, @thesiouxchef / @indigenousfoodlab invited me to Minneapolis to prepare the meal in Leonard’s honor.

What followed was an experience of reflection and connection. I approached the meal as a ceremonial offering, carefully selecting each ingredient to symbolize both Leonard’s confinement and his release. Regardless of differing views on his incarceration, one truth remains: we must all seek ways to heal from our experiences.

During my visit, I filmed the preparation of this ceremonial meal. It was never intended as a recipe but as a ceremony rooted in healing and storytelling. Each element was prepared with purpose and respect.

The Indigenous Food Lab is a professional Indigenous kitchen and training center committed to building a new Indigenous food system that reintegrates Native foods and education into tribal communities. They envision tribally operated kitchens that revitalize culture and nutrition across Native communities.

I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to my gofundme to get this project started. With this unexpected postponement, those dollars will still be used for the connection I will have with Leonard when the time is right. Thank you @alexciadevasquez, for traveling twenty seven hours with me to Minneapolis, and to OWAMNI and the Indigenous Food Lab team for allowing me to share this meaningful meal.

The FULL VIDEO is available on the “Indigenous Food Lab” YouTube channel.

To support Indigenous food sovereignty, visit NATIFS.ORG

©Chef Ramon Shiloh 2025