World Central Kitchen Chef Corps member Chef Amy Foote has dedicated her career to revitalizing Indigenous foodways and strengthening Indigenous food systems in Alaska, where there are about 230 native tribes. Her past tenure as the executive chef at the Alaska Native Medical Center and current role as the director of Indigenous cuisine at NMS, a comprehensive food service provider, makes Chef Amy an expert in what Alaska’s native populations prefer to eat during times of comfort. 

She was WCK’s first call when Typhoon Halong left a devastating wake of flooding and destruction in remote coastal cities with largely Indigenous populations in Fall 2025. With Chef Amy’s multifaceted support and guidance, our teams served first responders and impacted families—many of whom have lost their homes, workplaces, and community centers—a total of close to 45,000 meals in 20 days.

First, Chef Amy introduced WCK’s community outreach team to local and Native-led organizations that were supporting relief and recovery efforts. An introduction from someone so embedded in the community helps WCK build trust quickly. She recalls having a major realization that the relationships she built over time played such a big role in making an immediate impact: “It was beautiful to be like, ‘We can do this today. We can connect people today!’” 

Chef Amy’s support went beyond initial introductions. The catering arm of Chef Amy’s employer, NMS, provided more than 6,200 meals during the response. Chef Amy was often on hand to serve meals with her team at the Alaska Airlines Arena in Anchorage, which was serving as a shelter. Some of the meals from NMS also reached our hub in Bethel. 

Chef Amy was a strong advocate for WCK incorporating familiar ingredients into our meals, including proteins like reindeer and salmon. She connected us with our Coho salmon provider so we could serve salmon head soup and other comforting meals. There’s one, simple memory that sticks with her from the experience.

“We were serving reindeer, rice, and gravy and I had a teen boy that was coming through the line,” Chef Amy explained. There was a sign posted that indicated the reindeer was sourced from nearby Nunivak Island. He pointed to the sign and said, “Home.”

“That’s our goal right? To give someone a bowl of home when they’re not able to be there and have that,” Chef Amy said. “Just the one word and the way he said it cut through me. That’s exactly what our intention was.” 

Chef Amy says she is grateful to be a part of an organization that understands the urgent need to start cooking straight away so communities know they are not alone. “In these times of disaster, so many decisions have to be made quickly and they can be tied to a lot of gate keepers,” she explains. “We don’t have to wait, we can feed people now. That to me was so powerful.” 

Hear more from Chef Amy in her KYUK interview.

The Chef Corps is a global network of prominent culinary leaders who champion World Central Kitchen’s work providing fresh meals following crises. Thanks to their generosity, adaptability, and visibility, Chef Corps members are uniquely positioned to accelerate and amplify what WCK can accomplish when we arrive first to the frontlines.