COMMUNITY PROFILE FOUR DIRECTIONS’ OFFERINGS EXTEND BEYOND FOOD THROUGH EXTENSIVE SUPPORT OF VARIOUS LOCAL SERVICES AND PROJECTS. FOUR DIRECTIONS CUISINE STORY BY JAMIE MILLER IN 2017, MURDOCH DECIDED TO MOVE TO COLORADO, WHERE SHE CONTINUED TO CULTIVATE FOUR DIRECTIONS CUISINE. ANDREA MURDOCH, OWNER of Four Directions Cuisine (4DC) was born an Indigenous Andean in Venezuela. She was adopted and grew up in rural Ohio, which left her largely disconnected from her cultural background. It was not until after her divorce from a traumatic marriage that her lifelong love for cooking became a path for healing and to deepen her connection with her native roots. “I was getting divorced and for whatever reason I decided that starting a business in Milwaukee in 2015 was a part of my healing journey,” Murdoch said. In search of a way to reconnect with her culture through food, Murdoch connected with the Oneida Nation, who welcomed her with open arms. She reflects on the experience full of gratitude, remembering the foundational knowledge that the women of the Oneida Nation taught her. “The first thing they taught me about was the Three Sisters,” squash, beans and corn…how that relates to their culture, and how they came to be. They were incredibly kind and trusting to share that with me,” she said. “They hold a special place in my heart. They took me in, a native origin who was completely disconnected from native culture.” Education on native culture and cuisine enriched her life, introducing her to new passions like food sovereignty — a belief that people and communities should be centered on growing, harvesting, and preparing healthy food. According to Murdoch, her favorite meal depends on the season, but she is a year-round fan of roasted potatoes and braised bison. Other meals Four Directions serves include Ramona Farms coarse grits, poached duck eggs, and smoked salsa, from the brunch party menu, or the Queen’s Steak, which features locally cultivated king oyster mushroom steak, quinoa pilaf, and chile tomato sauce, from Four Directions’ catering menu. In 2017, Murdoch decided to move to Colorado, where she continued to cultivate Four Directions Cuisine. She has been “making home and community ever since.” Four Directions Cuisine is known for its catering business, which operates on a seasonal rotating menu that only uses locally grown, Native-produced ingredients and honors the relationships that Indigenous people have with the earth. Additionally, 4DC offers private gatherings like their summer outdoor chefs’ table at The Rooted Adina, along with cooking classes, and consulting. However, Four Directions’ offerings extend beyond food through extensive support of various local services and projects, like their Ancestry Harmony Retreats, which aim to give people the space to connect with and learn about native culture through weekend retreats in the Denver area. “We are intentionally keeping dollars in Indigenous communities and are incredibly proud of our efforts in education and activism,” Murdoch said. To view their most updated menu or read more about their mission and services, visit Fourdirections.com. July 2025 DENVER VOICE 11
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