ALOHA, I’M SUNNY SAVAGE
wild food forager
As author of Wild Food Plants of Hawaii, host of the television series Hot on the Trail with Sunny Savage that aired on 4 continents, and creator of the Savage Kitchen mobile app featuring eating invasive species that was downloaded in 67 countries around the globe, I have taught thousands of people about wild food foraging.
Dedicated to providing high quality content, I’ve completed a BS in Dietetics and a Master’s of Science in Nutrition that focused on the antioxidants of wild greens. I have years of hands in the soil, being both a forager and a farmer. Although I advocate for small simple steps towards building thriving local food systems, I’ve also found inspiration by living on the edges…spending 1 year eating 100% locally grown foods only, and 1 month eating 100% wild foraged foods only.
MY STORY
Primed for a wild life with back-to-the-land parents, I grew up in Northern Minnesota with no electricity or running water in the early years. My adventurous spirit blossomed as I traveled to every continent, including a year in Antarctica, over 3 years of life aboard a sailboat, work with the Pygmy in Congo, volunteering in the Dalai Lama’s temple, and riding motorcycle solo across North America; themes of freedom and learning about plants from people is the juice that runs through my veins.
I came to Maui while hosting a wild food cooking television series in 2008, and felt so at home. It’s been an honor to live and work in Hawaii and to perpetuate aloha.
WHY WILD FOOD?
Optimum health, community land management, emergency preparedness and the joy of getting out and playing in nature is why! Wild food fills so many gaps, as simple and profound medicine that is literally growing right outside our own homes.
Work with Me
Experience
From teaching at a Tribal College to being a headlining Chef at the Taste of Chicago, food policy work in Washington DC to getting my Kickstarter for a food truck serving invasive species funded.
Vision
Watch my TedxMaui Talk or see previous collaborations with some of Maui’s top chef’s to see how I’ve been weaving a web of stories around ecology, science and spirituality.
Heart
Savage Farms Wellness Center opened 2 weeks to the day after the devastating Maui fires, and served community members who lost their homes for a year and a half for free.
