We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kimberly Tilsen-Brave Heart a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Kimberly, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Why My Mission Is Meaningful

My mission is not just about food; it’s about cultural preservation, reconnection, and healing. As an Indigenous chef, I believe every ingredient, every dish, and every gathering is an opportunity to honor our ancestors and reclaim the wisdom they left behind. This work is a sacred act of remembering—of re-rooting ourselves in the land and realigning with Mother Earth.

When I cook, I’m not just nourishing bodies; I’m offering a space for spiritual restoration. Food becomes ceremony. It becomes story. It becomes medicine. In a world that often encourages disconnection, my mission is to reconnect us: to culture, to land, to each other, and most importantly, to ourselves.

This is why the work matters. Because when we restore our relationship with food, we begin to restore everything.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I was born on the Pine Ridge Reservation in southwestern South Dakota, about a mile off the main road. We heated our home with a wood stove and pumped our own water by hand. The Pine Ridge Reservation is considered the poorest reservation in America and the lowest life expectancy in the western hemisphere, for context. My mother, who has lived with severe rheumatoid arthritis since childhood, taught me early on that Mother Earth provides everything we need. From as young as five years old, I helped her prepare traditional foods; using my hands for the tasks she physically couldn’t. It was more than just cooking; it was ceremony. She taught me that foraging, hunting, and traditional butchering are sacred acts of connection, care, and culture. But also an act of resistance and reclamation for who we are as Lakota people.

Watching people light up after tasting her food left a powerful impression on me. I knew then that someday, I would be a chef and create that same joy and nourishment for others. I’m a sixth-generation entrepreneur, raised in the restaurant world. I participated in several stagès (apprenticeships) and began cooking more formally for my community when I was 21.

Eight years ago, I founded Chef Brave Heart; a private chef business rooted in Indigenous culinary practices. I specialize in culturally rooted, gluten-free, dairy-free Indigenous cuisine and offer cultural education, motivational speaking, and community-focused events. My mission isn’t just about food; it’s about healing, reconnection, and honoring the traditions that shaped me. What sets me apart is that I see food as medicine and storytelling; each dish is an offering that speaks to identity, land, and legacy with modern and approachable approach.

What I’m most proud other than being a single mother of three to my amazing children; is becoming a symbol of what’s possible. I come from humble beginnings, but I’ve always stayed rooted in my values, culture, and purpose. I want people; especially young Indigenous people; to see that no matter where you come from what traumas we have endured, if you stay true to who you are and lead with heart, you can achieve anything. My work has been recognized by the Food Network, The New York Times, Condé Nast, and many other publications and documentaries, but the real honor is being able to represent my people and show that our stories, our food, and our way of life belong on every stage.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Like any entrepreneur, pivoting has become part of the rhythm; but one of the most defining moments for my business came when COVID hit. At the start of 2020, I was on track to hit a million dollars in sales from events by July. Then, almost overnight; on March 18; I lost $385,000 in contracts. I had a family to care for, and it felt like everything I’d built was slipping through my fingers like sand. I didn’t qualify for PPP loans, and external support was minimal. While many businesses were getting help, my community was being sent body bags instead of services.

So I pivoted fast. I launched beautifully crafted charcuterie boxes featuring smoked Indigenous game meats; something comforting, delicious, and deeply tied to my cultural values. We offered pickup and delivery in safe ways, and almost immediately, we were sold out weeks, sometimes months, in advance. At the same time, I called on my community and asked them to help me feed our culture bearers; our elders. With donations and support, we were able to deliver over 100,000 pounds of fresh meat and produce across our community.

COVID changed everything; not just in business, but in my personal life. I became a single mother of three in 2021. And through all of it, I’ve kept pivoting, kept adapting, and stayed grounded in purpose. For me, it’s not just about surviving change; it’s about meeting it with creativity, love, and service.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Before I launched my chef business, I owned and still operate a business management firm that specializes in event planning. That background gave me a strong foundation in understanding how to create full experiences; not just serve food. I noticed early on that a lot of caterers in my market were doing the bare minimum; serving mediocre food with little to no attention to presentation or guest experience. I knew I could offer something different. I’ve always had a natural eye for beauty and detail, so I leaned into that. I started posting photos of my events; tablescapes filled with fresh herbs, edible flowers, and local, seasonal foods, styled in ways people hadn’t really seen in our community. It wasn’t just food; it was art, culture, and storytelling on a plate. That’s what people connected with. They weren’t just hungry for good food; they were hungry for meaning, for beauty, and for something that felt intentional. That’s what helped build my reputation and grow my social media presence organically. It was also the level of professionalism and the art of hosting so every guest felt nourished and cared for.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.chefbraveheart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefbraveheart?igsh=MWJodDRweHB3NnJuYQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/159B2vKBq5/?mibextid=kFxxJD
• Other: Tiktok @chefbraveheart

Image Credits

Shannon Burnette Meek
Payton Skye Brave Heart