Chef Pyet DeSpain Introduces DTLA to a Bold New Indigenous-Mexican Menu

If you’ve ever been curious about what Native American food truly is—beyond stereotypes, beyond fry bread—then you’ll want to take a closer look at what’s happening in Downtown Los Angeles. Indigenous Fusion Chef Pyet DeSpain is making culinary history, bringing the city's first menu that boldly fuses Native American and Mexican foodways to the heart of DTLA.

In a recent feature by LAist, Pyet shared, “I just want to represent myself. I'm both Mexican and Native, so I introduced these foods in a way that people can easily be receptive to them.” That simple yet powerful intention is the heart of her work: storytelling through flavor, bridging cultures through plates, and making Indigenous foods both approachable and celebrated.

The smoked tepary bean dip has a consistency similar to hummus and is topped with spiced corn nuts, pickled onion, and maple chili oil.

Her newest menu goes far beyond what most diners expect when they hear the phrase "Native American cuisine." Tepary beans, bison, squash, corn, and wild herbs all make their way into the spotlight—each ingredient chosen not just for taste, but for its cultural and ancestral significance.

This menu isn’t just food—it’s medicine, memory, and movement.

As someone who grew up surrounded by the aromas of her family’s taquerias in Kansas City and the traditions of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and Osage communities, Pyet knows firsthand how food can carry identity, resilience, and pride. Now, with this DTLA menu, she’s creating a space where culture isn’t just preserved—it’s plated and shared.

Chef Pyet’s work continues to open doors not just for herself, but for Indigenous chefs everywhere. This menu is a love letter to her roots, and an invitation to all of us to sit down, listen, and taste the stories she’s telling.

With heart,

Chef Pyet