In her new cookbook “ Rooted in Fire: A Celebration of Native American and Mexican Cooking ,” Pyet DeSpain, Season 1 winner of Gordon Ramsay’s “Next Level Chef” competition series, offers a warm introduction to the culinary traditions that shaped her upbringing in Kansas City, Kan., and on the Osage Reservation in Pawhuska, Okla.

She invites readers to embrace a land-first approach to cooking that emphasizes an intimate understanding of how their food reaches their plates.

“When people think about American cuisine, it’s a hodge-podge of diverse cuisines, but the one thing that’s been missing is the actual food of Americas, Native American cuisine,” DeSpain said.

The cookbook spans recipes from both sides of DeSpain’s family, including the Mexican recipes that her paternal grandmother,

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