Chef Overcomes Personal Troubles to Celebrate his Native American Roots

Jason Vickers is as Seattle food and culture as you get. Yet, many have never heard of him.

He has cooked at numerous iconic places across the region with chefs such as Kathy Casey, Russell Lowell, Jonathan Hunt, Tom Black, Scott Staples and the late Tamara Murphy. He recently founded Netoncks Metsu, the catering, meal prep and special events business dedicated to cooking with historically local ingredients and First Nation’s traditions.

Vickers, who is a member of the Hassanamisco Band, Nipmuc Nation, is the featured chef at the First Nations at the University of Washington’s “Taking Back the Dinner” festivities at 5 p.m. Nov. 26 UW’s Intellectual House as part of Native American Heritage Month. For more information, email First Nations at the University of Washington, one of the largest campus-based Native American and Alaska Native student organizations in the country.

For Vickers, giving back to the local Native American community takes him full circle. Battling alcoholism, he had previously relied on social services and the kindness of others. It was his ex-boss, Murphy, who had heard through the restaurant grapevine that Vickers was homeless, who gave him a job sanding the floor at Murphy’s Terra Plata’s picturesque rooftop deck, and put him back on his cooking track.

“(Murphy is) the realest person I’ve had the pleasure to have worked with,” Vickers says of his mentor.

By 2023, Vickers had founded Natoncks Metsu, which translates to “Feeding My Cousins,” a catering, private chef and meal prep business based in Seattle.

“I made some lifestyle changes, becoming sober, taking care of my life,” Vickers says. “That also meant leaning into my Native culture. I made a commitment to turn my attention to my food. I started making relationships with farms, farmers and food banks. I experienced this incredible gift in the middle of my career. I was exposed to a whole new set of ingredients and textures. These ingredients come with history and culture. It was like starting all over again.”

Vickers forages many of his ingredients locally and also relies on tribal farmers, fishers and growers. He digs back centuries for menu inspirations, far beyond the currently popular frybread, which originated in tragedy nearly 160 years ago.

The genesis of frybread is grounded in oppressive American history. Forced to relocate from Arizona to New Mexico in 1864 (known as “The Long Walk,”) the Navajo were given flour, processed sugar and lard, the “government cheese” of the time, for the long trip. In a twist of alchemy, the resilient Navajo created what is today referred to as frybread, far from traditional First Nation cuisine.

“Frybread is an example of making do with a not-so-fortunate situation,” Vickers says. “People will become nostalgic about anything. Frybread gets a wink and a nod. It is not romantically referred to as traditional, but it’s struggle food.”

Vickers prefers to serve roasted tribal caught Coho salmon rubbed in a nettle pesto, combining two staples in his culinary repertoire. Nettles also play a supporting role in his juicy preparation of braised chicken. His Lumminade, a nod to the Lummi Nation, is a blend of lemon, mint and rosemary.

Other restaurants and retailers owned by Native Americans who celebrate culture include:

Native Soul Cuisine: Chef Jeremy Thunderbird has been catering and hosting pop-up dinners in the Puget Sound area for more than six years featuring specialties such as Buffalo frybread smash burger, yuca fritas, and blue corn tamales. Follow him to find out about his next pop-up on Instagram or Threads, @nativesoulcuisine.

A man in a patterned jacket and cap, channeling his Native American roots, smiles and gestures with a peace sign while standing next to catering equipment under a tent.

Chef Jeremy Thunderbird of Native Soul Cuisine

Liiv for Flavor: Olivia Ford runs a catering and private chef business serving up specialties including sweet corn and ricotta ravioli, smoked salmon with spice butter, blue cornbread with lavender butter, and blueberry-cranberry Wojapi, the traditional Native America thick sauce. She can be found on Instagram @liivforflavor.

A smiling chef stands in a kitchen behind a wooden table, where eight colorful dough balls are wrapped in plastic wrap, showcasing his creative roots.

Chef Olivia Ford of Liiv for Flavor

Marination: Kamala Saxton infuses her Hawaiian and Korean upbringing into the cuisine at all four of her Marination locations, as well as her catering business. @marinationsea
Little Tin Goods & Apothecary Cabinet: Kalei Apo brings a slice of her native Hawaii to Old Ballard with specialties such as pineapple cake, Alani Moa (tempura chicken bites), and cocktails. @littletinballard
Via Tribunali, Off the Rez Cafe at the Burke Museum at the University of Washington, Off the Rez food truck: Mark McConnell created the Off the Rez food truck in 2011 as an homage to his Blackfeet Nation roots. He opened a bricks-and-mortar destination at the Burke in 2019 and bought Via Tribunali, with locations on Capitol Hill and Queen Anne, with his partner, Cecilia Rikard.
Emmett Watson’s Oyster Bar: Bryan Trask of the Oglala Lakota subtribe of the Lakota nation bought the iconic seafood bar in the Pike Place Market earlier this year. Trask has focused on sourcing clams, salmon and most oysters from Indigenous suppliers, with a goal of eventually sourcing all food products locally. @emmettwatsonsoysterbar
Salish Lodge Dining Room: The Salish Lodge Dining Room is owned by the Snoqualmie Tribe and offers a fine dining experience with a focus on local and Native-inspired cuisine. @salishlodgespa
Nacho Mama’s Fry Bread Cafe: Chef and owner Debra LeComb has operated a cafe, catering business and cooking school out of her Delridge neighborhood since 2022, specializing in the Native American cuisine of her youth.
Woven: The Tacoma fish and steak house, a collaboration between the Puyallup Tribe and renowned chef Roy Yamaguchi, opened this summer. The menu “weaves” cuisines of the world. @eatwoven
Snoqualmie Casino is undergoing an expansion, expected to be completed in 2025, that includes an expanded ballroom, and a 210-room hotel and spa. In the meantime, the casino offers four restaurants, plus a coffee shop. Its flagship restaurant, Vista Prime Steaks & Seafood, offers an extensive steak menu. Vista is also one of only 13 restaurants in the state recognized with Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence.
Muckleshoot Casino offers the most dining options of any of the casinos in Western Washington, counting 11 eateries of varying cuisines and formality, plus five bars.