Chef Nathan Davis is a Le Cordon Bleu–trained chef and enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. Raised hunting, fishing, and foraging to help fill his family’s freezer, his approach to food is rooted in lived tradition as much as classical technique.
He has worked in both professional kitchens and public service, including time in a state governor’s office in North Dakota, where he saw firsthand how policy and food systems intersect.
Davis is the founder of A’Wiisinin, a food truck and culinary platform focused on revitalizing Indigenous foodways through accessible, modern dishes. His cooking blends traditional ingredients like bison, wild rice, and foraged plants with formal training, creating food that is both deeply cultural and broadly approachable.
He is also a passionate educator, working with students and communities to reintroduce Indigenous ingredients and the concept of food as medicine. He is currently featured as part of the American Indian College Fund’s NYC EATSS event, where he highlights the connection between culture, education, and opportunity through food.
The Chef has graciously provided us with an indigenous-fusion recipe for Ojibwe-inspired “Rubaboo” or Rabbit Stew. Enjoy!
Yield
10 servings (8–10 oz portions)
Ingredients
Protein:
– 5 lbs rabbit, cut into portions (bone-in preferred)
Base:
– 2 tbsp oil or rendered fat
– 2 large onions, diced
– 4 cloves garlic, minced
Vegetables:
– 3 carrots, chopped
– 3 celery stalks, chopped
– 2 cups squash (butternut), diced
– 1 cup corn
– 1 cup beans
– 2 potatoes, diced
Liquid:
– 8 cups stock (rabbit, chicken, or light beef)
Seasoning:
– 2 tsp salt
– 1 tsp black pepper
– 1 tsp thyme
– 1 bay leaf
– Optional: juniper berries or sage
Instructions
Sear rabbit in oil until browned. Remove and set aside.
Sauté onion and garlic until soft.
Add vegetables and cook 5–7 minutes.
Add stock, scrape pot, return rabbit, add seasoning.
Simmer 1.5–2 hours until tender.
Add corn and beans last 15–20 minutes.
Adjust seasoning and serve.
Plating
Serve over wild rice or as-is. Garnish with herbs or microgreens.
Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.
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