Chef Pyet’s Indigenous Fusion Residency Debuts at Abernethy’s in DTLA

For the first time in Los Angeles, a menu rooted in both Native American and Mexican culinary traditions is taking center stage in one of the city’s most iconic venues. I’m so proud to officially announce my residency at Abernethy’s, located inside The Music Center in Downtown LA, where I’ll be sharing my Indigenous Fusion menu through spring 2025 as part of their Emerging Chefs Program.

This moment is more than a career milestone—it’s cultural.

In a city that now frequently opens events with land acknowledgments, the visibility of actual Native food on major culinary platforms still remains rare. I’m here to change that. This residency is a celebration of Indigenous foodways, the resilience of our people, and the powerful stories that our ingredients carry.

From wild rice and tepary beans to smoked meats and ancestral salsas, every dish on this menu carries heritage and intention. It’s inspired by my upbringing between the Osage Nation in Oklahoma and Kansas City, and shaped by the memories of my family’s kitchens—taquerias humming with flavor, and Native kitchens filled with stories.

Chef Pyet DeSpain, in front of a mural by Lauren Siyowen Peters, at Abernethy’s in Downtown L.A. Photo by Patrick Barrera.

Abernethy’s gave me the chance to bring that spirit forward in a space that invites everyone to gather, taste, and learn. I’m honored to step into a city as big and diverse as LA and offer something so deeply personal, yet so universal: nourishment, identity, and community.

This residency is for the culture. For the next generation of Indigenous chefs. For the elders and the ancestors. For anyone who’s ever been told our food doesn’t belong on fine dining tables.

Come through. Bring your friends. Let’s eat—and celebrate what it means to carry tradition forward.

With love and gratitude,

Chef Pyet

Read the full article on L.A. Taco:Indigenous Chef Pyet DeSpain Bringing the City’s First Mexican-and-Native Menu to DTLA