Ubetcha Wateca has been serving delicious food to the community of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation since 2015.
Ubetcha Wateca is a true grass-roots success story. Shari Ducheneaux, and her partner Bo Kingfisher, first began serving their food from a food truck. It was a huge success and well received by the community.
“I’ve always wanted to be a cook,” said Shari. “I learned by watching my mother and grandma cook for family gatherings all my life.”
The demand for the taste of Ubetcha Wateca was so great that the business soon ran into a problem: there wasn’t enough space for food preparation, storage, or cooking.
Shari turned to Four Bands Community Fund, Inc., a Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) located on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation. It approved a loan for a new restaurant with help from the Division of Capital Investment’s loan insurance program. With the loan, Shari was able to secure a 1000 square-foot space at the Four Bands Community Fund business incubator, and establish the Ubetcha Wateca Family Restaurant. It has a large kitchen and an eight table-dining area that can accommodate 20 people at a time.
There are some chain restaurants in Eagle Butte, but few options for a “home-style” prepared meal. “The best thing about our restaurant is that each meal is prepared by the same chefs,” Shari said.
Shari insists on operating an environmentally friendly restaurant. Her workers use compostable and biodegradable boxes, give away excess produce, and properly dispose of food waste. They grow the bulk of produce in their garden and source meat from a local, Native owned business. “Growing our own food has allowed us to provide healthier choices,” she said.
Ubetcha Wateca employs 3-4 employees and supports the community in various ways, including displaying local art work for sale.
