Spirit Plate Episode 3: Cooking Halibut in a Haida Longhouse

In this episode of Spirit Plate, I head north to Hydaburg, Alaska, cruising the Pacific waters off Prince of Wales Island with the Haida people, often called the Vikings of the Pacific. These waters are not just where they live, they are part of who they are. The Haida have lived here for over 10,000 years, and every wave, every current, carries generations of knowledge.

Beside me on this journey is my sous chef and friend Gabrielle, whose ancestors come from this very place. Being here with her made this trip feel even more meaningful. Our guides were Gabrielle’s cousin Claude and Tony, a Haida elder, local mayor, and master fisherman. Watching them work on the water was a reminder that fishing here is not a hobby. It is responsibility, tradition, and survival all wrapped together.

Out on the open water, we set longline hooks and waited patiently, respecting the process. When we hauled in the halibut, I was in awe. These fish were massive, some nearly 200 pounds. Halibut is a gift from the ocean, and harvesting it carries deep responsibility. Nothing about this process felt rushed or careless. It was thoughtful, intentional, and rooted in respect for the land and sea.

One of the most powerful moments of this visit was attending a totem pole raising with the community. Seeing everyone come together for ceremony reminded me that food and culture are inseparable. The totems tell stories, just like recipes do. Both are ways of remembering who we are and where we come from.

Back in a traditional Haida longhouse, Gabrielle and I cooked a feast to honor the elders. We prepared baked halibut soaked in butter, roasted potatoes, a beach asparagus salad, and I added a piece of my own heritage with a Potawatomi blueberry corn cake. Feeding sixty Haida elders in that space was humbling. It felt like a moment of shared gratitude, culture meeting culture, and stories being exchanged without words.

Every episode of Spirit Plate teaches me something new, but this one reminded me how deeply food connects us to place. Fishing these waters, cooking in the longhouse, and serving the elders showed me how generosity is woven into Haida culture. Food here is not about abundance for one person. It is about sharing, honoring, and sustaining the whole community.

For me, the prayer behind this episode was about respect. Respect for the ocean, for ancestral knowledge, and for the responsibility that comes with cooking Indigenous foods. When we treat food as sacred, it becomes more than a meal. It becomes a way to care for one another.

Spirit Plate continues to show me that Indigenous foodways are living, breathing traditions. Every ingredient carries memory. Every dish holds story. I am honored to be welcomed into these spaces and trusted to help share them.

🐟 Watch the full episode on PBS Food: Spirit Plate | Cooking Halibut in a Haida Longhouse