Press Release: Saratoga Performing Arts Center Announces A Culinary Conversation with Indigenous Food Expert Mariah Gladstone
October 17, 2024
Saratoga Performing Arts Center Announces
A Culinary Conversation with
Indigenous Food Expert Mariah Gladstone
Free community event presented by CulinaryArts@SPAC
On November 15 @ 7:30 PM
Saratoga Springs, NY (October 17, 2024) – Saratoga Performing Arts Center announces that its CulinaryArts@SPAC initiative will continue with A Culinary Conversation with Indigenous Food Expert Mariah Gladstone on November 15 at 7:30 p.m. at The Pines at SPAC. Moderated by SPAC President & CEO Elizabeth Sobol, the discussion will explore the relationship between cultural identity, health, and native plants and animals; the history of Indigenous foodways and pre-contact ingredients, and how to incorporate these foods into contemporary dishes.
Preceding the discussion and Q&A, attendees can enjoy complimentary Adirondack Chaga Tea by Saratoga Tea & Honey and sunflower maple cookies and dark chocolate seed brownies by lead sponsor Franklin Square Market. The event is free to attend, however seating is limited. Register at spac.org.
“Our Culinary Arts initiative has continued to grow and thrive, providing our community with an opportunity to experience international cuisine from acclaimed chefs, while learning about diverse cultures from across the globe. Now in its fifth year, we are excited to expand the scope of the initiative to include in-depth conversations that explore the larger societal issues around food and where it comes from,” says Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
Mariah Gladstone is an indigenous cookbook author and the founder and CEO of Indigikitchen, an online cooking show dedicated to revitalizing Indigenous food systems, or “pre-contact” foods that once offered sustainable nutrition before colonization. Gladstone also offers cooking classes and demonstrations, school residencies, and educational lectures. Using foods native to the Americas, Gladstone gives viewers the important tools they need to find and prepare food in their own communities, connecting Native people to their cultures, and supporting healthier ecosystems, bodies, and families. Her recipes fuse traditional ingredients in unexpected ways, creating dishes like butternut bison lasagna, salmon cornmeal cakes, and pumpkin-seed brownies.
“My initial motivation for starting Indigikitchen was the epidemic of diet-related illnesses in Indian Country. But I discovered many more benefits along the way,” Gladstone said, “From reintroducing bison to our kitchens, to sustainable planting methods, to honoring the animal and recognizing the gifts of the landscape, it is all connected to our traditional food systems.”
In addition to the culinary conversation at SPAC, Mariah Gladstone will also visit SPAC’s School of the Arts for storytelling and a “Sunflower Maple Cookie Creations” workshop using Native ingredients. The program will be provided for free to approximately 50 students from the Northern Rivers Early Learning Center in Schenectady.
Beyond its amphitheater stage, SPAC has become a year-round gathering place celebrating the artistry of food in building community while empowering individuals to understand how what we eat influences our communities and our planet. The CulinaryArts@SPAC initiative, founded in 2020, combines culinary excellence and education with exquisite meals that emphasize socially conscious cultivation and consumption, local procurement, and fair wages. CulinaryArts@SPAC is presented in partnership with lead sponsor Franklin Square Market, downtown Saratoga’s community market and bar. The initiative is produced by Kim Klopstock and Pam Abrams, with Tiina Loite.
A Culinary Conversation with Indigenous Food Expert Mariah Gladstone is free to attend, however space is limited. Visit spac.org for details or to register.
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Mariah Gladstone
Mariah Gladstone (Blackfeet, Cherokee) grew up in Northwest Montana. Mariah is an indigenous cookbook author and the founder and CEO of Indigikitchen, an online cooking show dedicated to re-indigenizing diets using digital media. Her cookbook, Mountains to Oceans: Kids’ Recipes From Native Land (September 2024), features 40+ kid-friendly recipes for cooking with Indigenous foods. In the last year, she has presented at Harvard, MIT, the Smithsonian NMAI, the Institute of American Indian Arts, and other Native organizations. She has also made two appearances on the “Today Show.”
She graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Environmental Engineering. Mariah has been recognized as a “Luce Indigenous Knowledge Fellow” through the First Nations Development Institute, a “Culture of Health Leader” through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and an MIT Solve Indigenous Communities Fellow. She serves on the board of the FAST (Food Access and Sustainability Team) Blackfeet. Mariah completed her Master’s Degree at SUNY – ESF through the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment.
Saratoga Performing Arts Center
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), located in the historic resort town of Saratoga Springs in upstate New York, is one of America’s most prestigious outdoor amphitheaters. Its tranquil setting in a 2,400-acre park preserve surrounded by hiking trails, geysers, and natural mineral springs draws lovers of arts, culture and nature for performances by resident companies New York City Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the Saratoga Jazz Festival, and concerts by Live Nation. SPAC also hosts imaginative programming such as Caffè Lena @ SPAC and initiatives in culinary, literary, healing and visual arts.
SPAC is a 501c3 charitable organization. Donations and proceeds from fundraising events benefit the Center’s thriving education program, community outreach efforts, and the vibrancy of its programming. For more information visit spac.org.