DCR Sets A Native Table

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, the Arkansas Food Innovation Center at Market Center of the Ozarks (AFIC@MCO) invited Downstream Casino Resort’s Chef Randell Ray and his team to prepare a meal for the November installment of the "Savor the Ozarks Dinner Series."

Proceeds from ticket sales to Chef Ray’s Quapaw Nation-inspired meal go towards AFIC@MCO Scholarship Program offering financial support to emerging food entrepreneurs, helping them access the resources they need to thrive. 

“The whole team- from culinary, to front of house, to media and communications- was phenomenal to work with,” said Marissa Dull, Programs and Events Manager at the AFIC@MCO. “Several small food entrepreneurs we work with at AFIC@MCO helped with the event and were able to collaborate and learn about fine dining and food service from the Downstream Casino Resort Team, experience that will support them in their journeys as creatives and as business people.”

Chef Randell and his team, including Michael Bujold and Executive Chef Ashley Stafford, spent months crafting a menu that tells a culinary story deeply rooted in the history, land, and traditions of the Quapaw Nation. The heart of the story lies in a look at Arkansas, the ancestral lands of the Quapaw Nation, the “Downstream People,” who thrived along the fertile banks of the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers.

The dinner was split into five courses, each with its own title and story: Good Medicine, A Winter Hunt, Three Sisters of Autumn, The French Explorer, and A Northern Gift. Between each course, Chef Ray spoke to the dinner attendees to explain how each dish connects to the Quapaw Nation. Through each thoughtful dish, this menu narrates the Quapaw Nation’s journey from making their way to present-day Arkansas to the impact of European encounters, all while celebrating the Quapaw’s connection to the land, enduring spirit, hunting, and agricultural traditions.

The star of the dinner was the Petit Bison Wellington of Duck Prosciutto, a succulent fusion dish that blends Quapaw culture with French culinary techniques, symbolizing the initial cultural exchange between the Quapaw and the French centuries ago. This dish includes bison wrapped in mushrooms and duck prosciutto, covered in puff pastry, then baked to perfection, accompanied by Bordelaise sauce and purple sweet potato puree.

“We want to thank Chef Randell Ray, Chef Ashley Stafford, and Chef Michael Bujold as well as the whole Downstream Casino Resort team for sharing their talents and stories with us,” said Dull. “It was a wonderful and impactful night of sharing food, culture, and connection for our team and each of our attendees that will continue to shape our relationship to the region.”

Other sponsors and donors include O-Gah-Pah Communications, Katie Davis from Republic National Distribution Company, Spring Creek Food Hub, Natural State Rabbit, and Whole Foods Market in Fayetteville.

The Market Center of the Ozarks is a nonprofit center that helps get more local food onto local tables. The center connects farmers and food entrepreneurs to infrastructure, education, and technical assistance, and increases food security across the region. Whether you’re a professional caterer in need of a commercial kitchen to prep for your next event, an aspiring entrepreneur looking to bring a secret family recipe to grocery store shelves, or a food service manager with a need for bulk processing, Market Center of the Ozarks is prepared to help you succeed.

Learn more about the Arkansas Food Innovation Center at Market Center of the Ozarks by visiting  aficmco.uada.edu