🔥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