‘Imagine where I’m going to go’: 2025 Chancellor’s Award recipient Lorinda John talks culture, support, and success
Every plate chef Lorinda John creates is a blend of cultural heritage, entrepreneurial spirit, and passion.
In her hometown, John, a senior hospitality administration major, crafts community-based dinners and menus for the Salamanca School District that honor Indigenous recipes. Recently, she was a guest chef at Buffalo AKG Art Museum, served four times as the Buffalo Bills Hometown Chef, and took second place in Buffalo State's Bengal Entrepreneurship Program Competition—and she’s just getting started. Her most recent achievement is the 2025 SUNY Chancellor Award for Student Excellence: a prestigious accolade that recognizes outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and community service.
Born and raised in Cattaraugus Territory about 40 miles south of Buffalo, John grew up in the kitchen. Some of her earliest memories include helping with every meal and hearing her five siblings ask, “What is Mom cooking?” Her mother and other creative relatives—an artisan aunt, a father who cooked over open fires, and a blind grandfather skilled in caning and weaving—allowed her to absorb the cultural traditions she now infuses in her creative culinary work.
John said her culture serves as a “catapult” toward her ambition. She finds inspiration in her Indigenous roots and draws from her knowledge of crop cultivation and sustainable cooking practices to create dishes like “Three Sister Fritters,” a spin on a potato pancake with corn, beans, and squash—all traditional native crops.
"My culture flows through me,” John said. “But it's not just about what I can share—it’s about what we can bring out of each other.”
"My culture flows through me. But it's not just about what I can share—it’s about what we can bring out of each other.”
While she has always been guided by her heritage, John’s path has not been traditional. In 2021, she founded her business, Aurora Treasures, which aims to build community relationships and cultural awareness through engaging, artistic expression. Aurora Treasures sells hand-crafted dreamcatchers made with all parts of cedar trees. In addition to being an entrepreneur, John is a single mother who earned her associate of occupational studies in culinary arts at Erie Community College while raising her two daughters.
After earning her associate’s degree, John transferred to Buffalo State to expand her credentials. She quickly established herself as a strong and resourceful student by finding ways to balance motherhood, entrepreneurship, and education. After her first semester, John was welcomed by the Tau Sigma Honor Society giving her what she refers to as her first taste of success.
Formal education deepened John’s passion for and understanding of food. She now approaches cooking with greater compassion, embraces nutrition by “using food for fuel,” and elevates her cuisine with flair. She has become a student leader under the guidance of mentors like her academic advisor Lori Till, associate professor in the Hospitality and Tourism Department; Michael Ferraro, club house manager at Campus House, an on-campus restaurant dedicated to teaching culinary arts and research; Sue Sims, Campus House executive chef and professor; and facilitators in Buffalo State’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
“Coming to Buffalo State has been the best experience of my life,” said John. “It was such a new experience for me, being an adult and a nontraditional student, but the community is so supportive. When you’re supported, you learn more about yourself and what you’re able to do.”
The SBDC helped John launch her website through their 8-week Marketing Solutions & Contract Readiness program and encouraged her to enter the Bengal Entrepreneurship Competition. John plans to collaborate with the SBDC to rebrand and incorporate cuisine into Aurora Treasures and also become a certified minority-and-women-owned-business.
“Coming to Buffalo State has been the best experience of my life."
John takes full advantage of all Buffalo State has to offer, including Commuter Services and Study Away Programs, which allowed her to practice culinary arts in Spain. Even general studies classes, she said, have provided inspiration.
“Sociology taught me about lived experiences impacting our lives and the lives of people that came before us,” John said. “Physics taught me about sound and the way food breaks down digestively and molecularly, connecting it with tradition.”
It is her most recent accomplishment—being named a 2025 SUNY Chancellor’s Award recipient—of which John is most proud; this honor, she said, further validates her dedication to both culinary excellence and cultural preservation.
After graduation, John will continue organizing monthly dinner classes and workshops in her community while also working to preserve Indigenous culinary traditions in schools across Western New York. She plans to enroll in a graduate studies program while further establishing herself in the regional hospitality scene.
“My goal was always a master’s,” John said. “Coming to Buffalo State started as a stepping stone, but ended up being more than that.”
When asked what advice she had for aspiring culinary students, John emphasized cultural pride and self-care.
“Don’t be afraid to talk about your culture and who you are,” she said. “If you stick to what you want to share with people, there is no failing. Make sure you take care of yourself and that you have the right people around you—that impacts a lot.”
With the Buffalo State community behind her and a clear vision ahead, John’s journey is just beginning.
“I’ve grown so much,” she said. “Imagine where I’m going to go.”
