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Cuisine Noir Magazine Empowerment - Fall 2022 (Digital)

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Empowerment - Fall 2022

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18 Articles

Publisher’s Note

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…

Publisher’s Note

Mariane Oliveira

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…

Mariane Oliveira

Michael and Kwini Reed

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…

Michael and Kwini Reed

The Food Temptress Cookbook Store

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 Food Temptress Cookbook Store

Philly Chef Kurt Evans

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…

Philly Chef Kurt Evans

Edizemi Onilenla

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…

Edizemi Onilenla

Product Reviews

Awaze Saba Sauce, Taste of Mekele - Authentic Berbere With Basil | $9.99 (1.6 oz) This gourmet spice blend offers a taste of Ethiopia with the versatility to enhance the flavor of other dishes such as pizza, pastas, salads and more. Combine with the sauces for the ultimate palate pleaser. sabasauces.com Burlap & Barrel + Belmont Estate, Caribbean Bay Leaf | $9.99 (1.5 oz) Out of Grenada comes hand-picked Turkish laurel leaves that pack more of a punch when it comes to savory and herbal tasting notes. They add depth and complexity to hearty dishes, marinades, dips and more. burlapandbarrel.com Nouveau Creations, Jalapeño Cheddar Grits | $12.99 (16 oz) The stone ground grits get better with each bite. The subtle jalapeno and cheddar add flavor that everyone can enjoy. The…

Product Reviews

For Jackie Summers, sorrel is a memory from his childhood and a blessing from his ancestors that he has the privilege to encapsulate in Sorel—a hibiscus-based liqueur that took the spirits industry by storm when first introduced in 2012. Summers has taken its humble abode in Brooklyn to its grand reintroduction in the market ten years later, thanks to a welcome investment from one of the leading names in the industry. His path to success is dotted with obstacles many aren’t privy to, but Summers is proof that “where there’s a will, there’s a way.” ACTIVATING MEMORIES “I’m trying to be present. I’m trying to make sure that no matter what happens, I’m in my moment, appreciating all of this as it exists,” says Summers. A conscious choice of words…

Donning a perfectly coiffed afro she affectionately calls Donna and a smile as bright as the planet Venus, television star and New York Times best-selling author Tabitha Brown has a powerful message for those who try to suppress her bubbly, Southern and genteel personality—her freedom is not for sale. She is enough just as she is and will not change for anyone. You may not be a vegan or even know how to use social media. Nonetheless, you may have seen and heard the sweet and welcoming woman who greets you with an amiable and soft “hello there” as she appears on your mobile, computer or television screen. However, if for some reason you are unfamiliar with the vegan influencer, “that’s your business,” as Brown says. FOOD, FAMILY AND NORTH…

Lisbon’s Afro-Portuguese Community

Libson is home to a diverse community from around the world. There is also a large Afro-descendant community that often is referred to as PALOP, Portuguese-speaking African nations. The countries that make up this group are Angola, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique. While the city may now be known as a hub for digital nomads, other citizens from the European Union flock there for the sunny weather, abundant seafood and well-balanced wine. Many from the PALOP community have been born and raised in Portugal and others have immigrated. Both groups have established businesses, foundations and cultural spaces that shape Portugal for what we know it to be. Many creative entrepreneurs of African descent born and raised in Lisbon are candid about the sometimes uphill battle for…

Lisbon’s Afro-Portuguese Community

Dwyane Wade is living proof that passion exploration is limitless. The NBA legend is diving into the wine industry and absorbing as much about the culture as possible. In 2014, Wade Cellars, a wine producer and brand, was founded. As the company continues to mature, the team aims not only to make wine accessible but also to build community. Around his late 20s, which is typically when careers start for most people, Wade found himself growing increasingly appreciative of wine. So much so that he would travel to different regions known for their vineyards. “This world of wine wasn’t something that was presented to me growing up as a kid in the inner city,” shares Wade. Growing up in a neighborhood under-resourced in Chicago, he knew he wanted to eventually…

Recipes of Empowerment: Storytelling Through Food

Food is more than simple nourishment. The story that precedes ingredients before they find their way onto a plate has historical origins in culture, tradition and language. Food is a connector to the past, present and future. Most importantly, it heals, influences and empowers individuals and communities. “When I think about food and empowerment and what it means to me as a chef, the resounding thought is responsibility. I feel I have a duty as a Black woman to provide my community with wholesome recipes that they can replicate without making them feel as though they are outsiders or interlopers on a culinary journey, as is often the case when people live in underserved communities or food deserts. Through providing recipes that are accessible, I not only feel empowered, I…

Recipes of Empowerment: Storytelling Through Food

Dominique Charles

When New Orleans native Dominique Charles bought her home in Washington, D.C, her Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. sorority sister brought her a surprise housewarming gift. “She said she needed help bringing my gift in, and I didn’t understand why,” remembers Charles. “Well, she had brought me a starter garden in little terra cotta pots,” Charles smiles. Though she had been outside on the farm with her Louisiana grandparents as a kid, Charles never had a desire to do any farming or gardening. That was until she received that starter garden in May 2014. “Later that summer, I was like, ‘Oh, look at my first little green tomato!’ And I was so excited and so joyful about it that I thought, ‘Maybe I do want to give gardening a shot.’” “I…

Dominique Charles

Liseth Martinez and Community

Viche (pronounced “vee-chey,” also called “biche”) is a Colombian drink native to Afro-Colombian communities in the Pacific region, made from fermented sugar cane juice and distilled with local fruits and herbs. On top of being an alcoholic drink, it also boasts medicinal benefits for stomach bugs or parasites, and it’s used as an aphrodisiac to promote fertility. Despite its production and community usage, Viche was banned and illegal in Colombia until 2021. Liseth Martinez and her father, Oswaldo Martinez Chaverra, are from Chocó, a region in Western Colombia known for its large Afro-Colombian population. Martinez says that the production of viche is a family business. “My father has been doing it for 30 years,” she says. HISTORY OF VICHE Viche originated from the Bantu languages of East-Central Africa, meaning “green”…

Liseth Martinez and Community

PARTNER LOCATIONS

CALIFORNIA 1010 Wine and Events1010 LaBrea AvenueInglewood, CA 90302 Hotville Chicken4070 Marlton AvenueLos Angeles, CA 90008 Underground Books2814 35th StreetSacramento, CA 95817 Sip Wine & Beer131 S. Orange StreetEscondido, CA 92025 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Sankofa Video, Books & Café2714 Georgia Avenue NWWashington, DC 20001 FLORIDA Best Richardson African Diaspora Literature & Culture Museum30 A George StreetSt. Augustine, FL 32084 GEORGIA Medu Bookstore2841 Greenbriar ParkwayAtlanta, GA 30331 ILLINOIS Lucky Jack NC1721 Sheridan RoadNorth Chicago, IL 60064 Smiley White’s Kafe 2929 N. Genessee StreetWaukegan, IL 60085 LOUISIANA Southern Food & Beverage Museum1504 O.C. Haley Blvd.New Orleans, LA 70113 MARYLAND Wellspring Manor & Spa11311 Drumsheugh LaneUpper Marlboro, MD 20774 NEW YORK Good Wine327 5th AveBrooklyn, NY 11215 Happy Cork151 Buffalo AvenueBrooklyn, NY 11233 VIRGINIA Books and Crannies50 E. Church Street, Ste. 4Martinville, VA…

PARTNER LOCATIONS

Lamu Island, Kenya. A vacation getaway and refuge for artists, filmmakers, writers and celebs. Barack Obama has called the place “magical.” British supermodel Adwoa Aboah’s parents have a home in Lamu. Oscar-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o shared pictures while vacationing there last year. “Lamu is one of my favorite places in the world. It still has a pristine untouched beauty. Also, the rich Swahili culture,” says Vava Angwenyi. “Then there are the quirky, beautiful little villages.” Like Shela, an artsy bohemian seaside hamlet. “I started coming here roughly ten years ago. I’m surprised it wasn’t sooner. With the kind of work I do, to come to a place to kick back without the noise of Nairobi, without cars … Also, perhaps because I’m a Pisces. I like to be near the…

Kimberly Prince

The Prince family legacy as the original creators of Nashville Hot Chicken and the drive of her ancestors to open a chicken shack in the deep South in the 1930s was sufficient motivation for Kimberly Prince to want to share that piece of culinary history with a larger audience. As a fourth-generation family member, she took it upon herself to transfer those flavors to the West Coast. That birthed the first iteration of Hotville Chicken in California as a pop-up in 2016. Witnessing the popularity of the menu offerings, Prince opened a physical location in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw neighborhood of Los Angeles in December 2019, all while still managing a day job in the entertainment industry. But while some might think owning a legacy business might translate to grand…

Kimberly Prince

3 Women Embrace Global Lifestyles

Globalization has witnessed a rise in expatriation over the last few years. In the last decade or so, the Black community in the United States has seen more people opt for an expat experience, ranging from a few months in one country to a few years across several. Here are just a few voices from the global expat community, sharing lessons learned along the way as well as milestones celebrated. NICOLE STROUD - TEACHING HER WAY AROUND THE WORLD For Nicole Stroud of The Soulful Expat (@thesoulfulexpat), her current life in Thailand comes by way of the United Arab Emirates, China, Peru and Egypt, covered over the last eight years. These places are far from her native New York, where she was teaching in 2014 and saw an advertisement about…

3 Women Embrace Global Lifestyles

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