When I first imagined The Memory Table, I never dreamed how deeply it would touch so many hearts.
On July 24, I had the incredible honor of presenting
this work before the Puyallup Tribal Nation, Tribal Council, and their
families. Then on July 25, we opened our doors to the public, welcoming
guests from every walk of life who came with open hearts, curious minds, and a
willingness to experience something far beyond a traditional dinner.
These two evenings became more than a tasting menu. They
became a ceremony.
Together we remembered the resilience of our ancestors
through Threads of Captivity. We stood with the water protectors through
Standing Rock Bison & Squid Ink (#NoDAPL). We honored our Missing
and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls through the Three Sisters Journey
Home and Riverways courses. We celebrated family, healing,
restoration, reconciliation, and ultimately hope through every plate that
followed, ending with our final dessert, One Drop Rule & The Hope of
Tomorrow.
Every dish carried a story. Every story carried history.
Every guest carried that history with me, if only for a little while.
As an Afro Indigenous chef, I have always believed that food
can do more than nourish the body. It can preserve memory. It can ask difficult
questions. It can honor those who came before us. Most importantly, it can
bring strangers together as community.
I also want to recognize what an incredible milestone this
was. I was deeply honored to be the first guest chef to launch Ms. Jane's
Fine Dining Guest Chef Series. My hope is that every chef who follows
brings their own culture, voice, and stories to the table. Indigenous food is
so much more than ingredients. It is identity, history, survival, and
belonging. I hope future chefs continue to educate, inspire, and remind guests
where our food comes from and why those stories deserve to be told.
To everyone who attended, thank you.
Thank you for trusting me with your time, your attention,
your conversations, and your emotions. Thank you for listening before tasting.
Thank you for asking questions. Thank you for allowing yourselves to be
vulnerable alongside me.
I finally received the photos from the event, and they
reminded me just how special these two days truly were. They captured something
that belongs to all of us, and I could not be prouder of what we created
together.
None of this would have been possible without an
extraordinary team.
Thank you Shawn Turnipseed Chef Josh, Monique Perry, Hattie Turnipseed, Lisa Fruichantie, Tricia Turner, and Tony Emery and every member of the
Ms. Jane's Fine Dining front of house and back of house staff. You gave
everything you had. Your professionalism, hospitality, kindness, and dedication
made every guest feel welcomed, every beverage thoughtfully crafted, and every
plate shine. Cooking alongside each of you was a privilege I will never forget,
and I have a tremendous amount of respect for every one of you.
Monique, thank you for taking my vision for the
mocktail pairings and making it your own. You did not just create drinks to
accompany the menu. You created pairings that became part of the story. Your
creativity, intuition, and artistry elevated each course and gave our guests
another way to experience the journey. I am so grateful for your collaboration,
your talent, and the care you poured into every glass. It was truly an honor to
create alongside you.
To every patron, every Tribal member, every family, every
fellow chef, every artist, every server, every bartender, every dishwasher,
every cook, every organizer, and every person who believed in this vision,
thank you.
Thank you for taking your place at The Memory Table.
This event marked another step in my own healing journey
after surviving a traumatic brain injury. More importantly, it reminded me that
healing is never something we do alone. It happens in community. Around a
table. Through shared stories. Through food. Through love.
Until we meet again, keep telling your stories. Keep
honoring your ancestors. Keep feeding people with intention.
Because the most memorable meals are never just about what
was served.
They are about what was remembered.
With gratitude,
Chef Ramon Shiloh
