Pyet DeSpain
Indigenous Chef, Author, Next Level Chef Champion
Stephanie goes by Pyet, short for her inherited Native American name Pyetwetmokwe. Pyet is an award-winning, traveling, private chef. She is the first winner of Gordon Ramsay's Next Level Chef, on Fox. In 2021, Pyet was named “Seventh Best Private Chef in Los Angeles” by Entrepreneur Magazine. She has competed on Tournament of Champions, and other Food Network programming, and has been featured in Tastemade’s Curious Chef with Stephanie Izard.
Her life's work is dedicated to Indigenous Fusion Cuisine, where she combines the food of her heritage - both Native American and Mexican. Pyet's passion is to uplift indigenous culture and traditions via storytelling, traveling, and cooking. Pyet's passion for cooking developed as a child while being the help in the kitchen. She was intrigued by the spices and aromas in her family's taquerias and restaurants in the Kansas City area. She attended culinary school to pursue a culinary education and since has earned a certification in Wellness & Nutrition. After launching her own business, Pyet’s Plate, the chef has since honed in on promoting Indigenous ingredients in everyday cooking, with the hope of inspiring others to pass down their own cultural recipes from one generation to the next.
Pyet is currently penning her first cookbook with Harper Collins, due for release in 2024.