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Chef Turns Trauma Into Culinary Healing
25 Jul
Summary
- Nephi Craig's memoir details his recovery from addiction.
- He now leads a nutritional recovery program.
- Indigenous foods are central to his healing philosophy.
White Mountain Apache chef Nephi Craig has released his memoir, "Our Knives Will Save Us: Dispatches from a White Mountain Apache Chef." The book chronicles his complex journey, marked by generational trauma and substance abuse, which led him from prestigious kitchens to cooking for inmates in Maricopa County Jail. Craig now serves as the nutritional recovery program coordinator at the White Mountain Apache tribe-owned Rainbow Treatment Center, where he teaches cooking and healing at Café Gozhóó.
Craig's path to culinary arts began as a way to satisfy probation requirements, but he discovered a passion for the craft. Culinary school opened his eyes to global cuisines and prompted him to explore the history of Indigenous foods pre-colonization. He candidly discusses his struggles with addiction, the shame associated with it, and the profound impact of intergenerational trauma.
His work at the treatment center and Café Gozhóó focuses on decolonizing foodways and integrating Indigenous food practices into trauma and addiction recovery. This approach views Indigenous foodways as a holistic healing modality, aiming to rebuild relationships with food, community, and self within a safe environment.
