Crystal Wahpepah

Chef Crystal Wahpepah (Kickapoo Nation of Oklahoma) is the Owner and Executive Chef of Wahpepah’s Kitchen in Oakland, CA. Crystal understands the deep and powerful role that food has in our lives and uses it as a bridge to connect others with Native issues that are important to her and Wahpepah’s Kitchen.

By acknowledging the Indigenous inhabitants of the land upon which we currently live, acknowledge and reclaim Native food ways. Through this connection, Crystal is then able to educate others on the health benefits of Indigenous foods through the knowledge that has been passed to her. Crystal has been inducted to the Native American Almanac for her work. Crystal has appeared on Food Network’s TV show Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay and is a James Beard Award finalist for Emerging Chef in 2022. Crystal also opened the first Native woman owned restaurant in Northern California. Wahpepah’s Kitchen was the best new restaurant of the Bay Area in 2022. Crystal also cooked for the White House Hunger Conference with the James Beard Foundation as well as the Academy of Motion Picture of Arts and Sciences.