de Terra Madre—Turin
Magnus Nilsson, co-chair of the Food Planet Prize jury and Director-General of the Curt Bergfors Foundation, brings a Nordic philosophy of terroir and regenerative farming shaped by his years running the legendary Fäviken, now continued at Furuhem in Båstad, Sweden. Sean Sherman, the Oglala Lakota chef behind Indígena by Owamni, The Sioux Chef, and NĀTIFS, reclaims Indigenous food systems that thrived for millennia before colonization, proving that pre-colonial North American cuisine is not just historically significant but also delicious and urgently relevant.
The Work
A trip to Terra Madre in Turin during Fall 2024 connected Field Office to the global food systems conversation. A chance DM to farmer Clara Coleman, spotted via an aerial view post scrolled on a train from Zürich, led to an in-person meeting. Clara, a Food Planet Prize judge, introduced Field Office to Magnus and Sean. At Furuhem, Magnus weaves together organic farming, artisan baking, and a philosophy-driven approach to land and food. Sean’s work through Indígena by Owamni in Minneapolis and NĀTIFS centers pre-colonial North American ingredients—free from dairy, wheat, and other introduced staples—and builds living proof that Indigenous foodways are a foundation for the future, not a relic of the past.
Why It Matters
Magnus and Sean represent different but complementary paths to food transformation. One arrives from Nordic fine dining; the other from Oglala Lakota tradition. Both reject the dominant food system and point toward something older, more grounded, and more alive. Sean’s James Beard Awards and TIME 100 recognition signal how far this mission resonates beyond Indigenous communities. Together, they embody what Terra Madre exists to celebrate: that feeding the world well means remembering what we’ve forgotten, and having the courage to build from there.
The Food Planet Prize Mission
Based in Stockholm, the Food Planet Prize awards $2 million annually to transformative food innovations that respect planetary boundaries. Food systems are currently breaching six of nine planetary boundaries: climate change, biodiversity loss, land use change, nutrient pollution, freshwater use, and chemical pollution. Led by figures like Johan Rockström, the prize supports the shift toward resilient, nourishing global food systems on a thriving planet.
Support the Work
→ Nominate yourself or someone making a difference—it takes three minutes and could change the world!
→ 2025 Food Planet Prize was awarded to NitroCapt a Swedish company that develops low-emission nitrogen fertilizer using a plasma-based process powered by renewable electricity.
