This June, two women made James Beard Award history. Chef Sherry Pocknett is the first Indigenous woman to earn a James Beard Award (Best Chef, Northeast). And chef, food writer, and author Illyanna Maisonet is the first Puerto Rican to earn a James Beard Award. Illyanna won in the “Emerging Voice” category for her book, Diasporican: A Puerto Rican Cookbook.
This hour, Rachel Sayet, an Indigenous educator and member of the Mohegan Tribe, talks with Sherry, who is a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, about her restaurants Sly Fox Den Too, which is in Charlestown, RI., as well as the restaurant she hopes to launch in Connecticut. Sherry also describes what it felt like to win the James Beard Award.
And, producer Katrice Claudio talks with Illyanna, who received her medallion during the James Beard Media Awards ceremony on June 3. Illyanna talks about culinary school, the cultural influences that make up Puerto Rican cuisine, and her approach to cooking Puerto Rican food—her way.
GUESTS:
FEATURED RECIPES:
Pernil
Tostones
Arroz Chino Boricua
LEARN MORE: In her segment, Sherry mentioned farmer Jeremy Whipple. He’s the director of Mashantucket Pequot’s Meechooôk Farm, where they make what Sherry calls “the best maple syrup in all the land.” CT Public's Patrick Skahill featured the farm in a series about BIPOC farmers.
This show was produced by Robyn Doyon-Aitken, Catie Talarski, Meg Dalton, Katrice Claudio, Stephanie Stender, Meg Fitzgerald, Tagan Engel and Sabrina Herrera. Our interns are Stacey Addo and Carol Chen.
Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and email: seasoned@ctpublic.org.
Seasoned is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.