Cuisine Noir Empowerment - Fall 2022

This past September, I had the honor of traveling to Lisbon, Portugal, to speak at Congresso dos Cozinheiros or Cooks Congress, the country’s largest food and drink event, about our work in connecting the African diaspora through food, drink and travel. It would be my first international engagement and one that I will always remember. During my time there, I met so many amazing Black chefs, restaurateurs and business owners who are also excited and committed to telling their stories and the stories of their ancestors who hail from Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and other African nations through food, arts and culture. Unlike here in the U.S., the sharing of their narratives by local media outlets is far less common and this is one of the reasons why Cuisine Noir…

While growing up in São Paulo, Brazil, like most children, Mariane Oliveira watched her mom make the country’s traditional confection, Brigadeiros. The small balls of chocolate carefully cooked and decorated by her mom were synonymous with happiness and joyful moments spent with friends and family. Watching her mom also unknowingly offered Oliveira’s first glance at entrepreneurship. “It’s funny now that I feel like my entire life, I was receiving a free training of being an entrepreneur because when I switched my careers and decided to navigate into entrepreneurship work, it was familiar to me,” says Oliveira, who started Mary’s Brigadeiro in 2014. The Brazilian entrepreneur moved to Toronto, Canada, shortly before starting her business after visiting for two years and deciding to make the new city home. Not knowing anyone…

The power of ownership means different things to different people. The founders of two thriving California restaurants know exactly what that power means to them. They both laughed and exclaimed, “Freedom!” when asked about owning Poppy + Rose in downtown Los Angeles and Poppy & Seed in Anaheim. “It’s my avenue to release that training and everything else I worked on for so many years. You can do it yourself now and really have freedom,” says Michael Reed, owner and executive chef. His wife values the control it gives them. “Michael and I have worked for a lot of other people who don’t bring the quality of life to their employees. It’s important that we are owners that people want to work for,” Kwini Reed maintains. I. FREEDOM TO BE…

Through her work to document the extensive history and contributions of Black chefs to American cuisine and cuisines around the world as well as set the record straight, author and culinary historian Toni Tipton-Martin holds one of the oldest books published; a manual written in 1827 by Robert Roberts titled, “The House Servant’s Directory: A Monitor for Private Families.” Instructions noted in the table of contents include “To make excellent currant jelly,” “Most delicious lemonade to be made the day before,” “To preserve good wine unto the last” and “How to choose fish.” Another book would be documented as the first cookbook written by a Black author. “A Domestic Cook Book: Containing a Careful Selection of Useful Receipts for the Kitchen” was written by Malinda Russell in 1866, who included…

The power of storytelling can change lives. Just ask a Philadelphia chef whose mission is ending mass incarceration, promoting equal justice, battling systemic racism and feeding the hungry. “People congregate over food, so I definitely wanted to use my talent to bring people together to talk about these issues,” says Kurt Evans, founder of the End Mass Incarceration (EMI) Dinner Series. CHEF TO CHAMPION OF CHANGE Chef Evans started his career climbing the ranks in restaurant kitchens. Then he saw the TV documentary “Time: The Kalief Browder Story.” The miniseries revealed what a 16-year-old African American went through when he was held at the Rikers Island jail complex for three years without trial for allegedly stealing a backpack. Browder was released in 2013 after charges were dropped. He hanged himself…

From cooking for family, friends and colleagues to packing up and taking the taste of Africa and Nigerian cuisine to Ireland, the enjoyment Edizemi Onilenla, aka Mama Shee, has for cooking expands to new territory. “I have been feeding people all my life. I love cooking and most especially, I love people who love good food. I am not a great eater, but I can feed the world,” says Onilenla. The mother of three left her home country in 2002, hoping to start a new life for herself and her family in Ireland. Longing for a familiar taste of home, Onilenla noticed an absence of Nigerian products on the shelves in supermarkets. Staring at the shelves, she envisioned seeing them filled with African products, which would inspire her business. GOING…