High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America

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*Three of the sponsors are Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, Le Portier Cognac by Shannon Sharpe, and Charles Woodson's Intercept Wine and Woodson Whiskey


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Spoiler: THE WINNER

 

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High on the Hog – latest Culinary Diplomacy event, featuring food historian Dr Jessica B Harris​

Dec 2023
The latest offering in the successful Culinary Diplomacy programme from the Oxford Cultural Collective and the US Embassy, featured a private screening of the Netflix series High on the Hog, followed by a discussion between distinguished food historian Dr Jessica B. Harris and restaurant critic and author Jimi Famurewa.


The award winning first season of High on the Hog, based on the book of the same name by Dr Harris, traced culinary traditions born in Africa that were shaped by slavery in America. It has returned for a second season, which explores the culinary renaissance that burgeoned in the US post-emancipation. From Chicken & Waffles created during the Harlem Renaissance, to the Black Panther Party’s Free Breakfast Program in the 1960s, to community gardens that are fighting food apartheid today, the series highlights chefs, artists and activists who harness the power of food to reclaim history, connect generations and mobilise social justice movements.


Held on 4th December at the Everyman Cinema in Borough Yards, London, the Culinary Diplomacy event was hosted by Rodney Ford, Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the US Embassy, and Donald Sloan, Chair of the Oxford Cultural Collective. Invited guests included chefs, food writers, academics, activists, diplomats and representatives of the creative arts. A screening of the first episode of Season 2 of High on the Hog, was followed by a wide-ranging and at times very moving discussion between Jessica Harris and Jimi Famurewa. Amongst much else, they discussed the maintenance of culinary traditions and recipes of African origin, the demonisation of African American cuisines and their relative ‘legitimacy’ compared with those of other traditions, the power of food to reveal the hidden influence of African American communities and the role of chefs and food writers as cultural ambassadors. They also reflected on Jessica’s own journey as a food historian, and as the pre-eminent commentator on the food of the African Diaspora.


The evening closed with a contribution from Julian George, Founder of The Future Plate, who focused on the empowering influence of Jessica’s seminal work: “Thank you Dr Jessica B Harris for writing the book, thank you for bringing it to life on screen, thank you for telling our stories in such a beautiful, dignified way that is unapologetically us. What you have put out into the world has laid a marker in the ground, and history will look back at it as a tipping point that will inspire those that came after.”


The Culinary Diplomacy programme of events, from the Oxford Cultural Collective and US Embassy in London, will continue in 2024

 

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Black-owned business Lokal Artisan Foods wins annual 76ers' 'Buy Black Program'​

6abc Philadelphia
Mar. 28, 2023
Black-owned business Lokal Artisan Foods wins annual 76ers' 'Buy Black Program'

Rest in Peace

 

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Calas Cafe gives permanent home to crucial New Orleans food history​

Jan 24, 2024

Brandan Pellerin operates The Calas Cafe



The Calas Cafe is looking to go from pop-up to permanent, providing a dependable home for one of New Orleans' most culturally vital cuisines.
Why it matters: Calas are a key part of the city's history, once providing a way for enslaved Black women to slowly make enough money to buy their way to freedom.

• "It represents Black ingenuity, resilience and their determination to forge a better economic outcome for them and their families," says Brandon Pellerin, who operates the Calas Cafe at 1010 Treme St.

Flashback: The recipe for calas is believed to have evolved from West African food tradition, which enslaved people brought with them to New Orleans.

• In Louisiana, enslaved women cooked up these sweet rice fritters and sold them as street vendors on Sundays, their only "off" day.
• Though owners of enslaved people often kept the proceeds, some were able to keep at least part of their earnings, which the women kept to buy their freedom.
• The vendors eventually practically disappeared. By 1940, however, just one calas vendor remained in the city, according to NPR's reporting.

But Black New Orleanians continued making the fritters at home, keeping the tradition alive.

Pellerin serves his calas with lemon or pistachio curd. Photo: Chelsea Brasted/Axios
Zoom in: Pellerin, who also operates food security nonprofit Harvest NOLA, says the Calas Cafe offering a permanent place for locals and visitors to experience the dish creates an important connection to that history.

• "We get people pulling up with tears in their eyes because their grandparents and mothers used to make this dish and they simply have not had a place that highlights the significance of it," he says.

• The cafe is brightly decorated, with signage celebrating the calas story and its historical vendors, within easy sight of Congo Square, a place where enslaved people once found community, music and a social escape.

What he's saying: "If we can have Cafe du Monde with the French story, then we can have a Calas Cafe," Pellerin says.
The calas served at Pellerin's cafe are gluten-free, fried in coconut oil, dusted in confectioner's sugar and served with a pistachio or lemon curd.

• A serving of three is $5, and drink options include a chicory coffee with oat cream.

 

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Vivica A. Fox To Host Food Competition Series ‘Family Recipe Rumble’​

Jan 24, 2024
EXCLUSIVE: Vivica A. Fox is jumping into the kitchen for her latest unscripted series. The Independence Day star is set to host a new food competition series.
She has teamed with Rainbow Heads Productions and Woody Woodbeck, a producer on Bravo’s Southern Hospitality, to develop Family Recipe Rumble (w/t).
The series will follow two families battling it out for culinary supremacy and a $10,000 prize. They will put their family recipes to the test, while sharing their stories.

The format will include three courses, where the families share their recipes on classic favorites. While they are preparing, viewers learn about their lives, their culture and their sweet and savory creations along the way. Then Fox invites her special guest judges to taste the results and award the grand prize of $10,000 to one lucky family per episode.

Rainbow Heads, which was founded by former Discovery exec Jodi Tovay and 1000lb Sisters exec producer Daniel Keller-Bradshaw, is currently taking the project out to networks and streamers.
“This isn’t your typical food competition show,” said Fox. “Recipes passed down by generations sometimes tell the story of a family’s rich traditions, that nourish not only the appetite but the soul.” “We hope to show that meals made with love, and a little bit of friendly competition, can be satisfying to everyone who watches.”
“We are thrilled to be working with Ms. Fox and veteran executive producer, Woody Woodbeck, on this project.” added Tovay and Keller-Bradshaw. “The goal is to showcase that culture and tradition shine through with each family’s passion for cooking; serving the viewer with a truly unique culinary competition experience.”

 

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Jan 27, 2024
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Detroit chefs celebrate Black history at an event benefiting culinary students​

WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7​

Feb 1, 2024
7 Action News caught up with the executive chef as he was trying out an entrée idea for a first-ever fine-dining experience on February 5 called ‘Black Excellence Culinary Symphony.’

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Jan 31, 2024


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Jan 30, 2024
A new food memoir includes nearly forty family recipes rooted in the culinary history of Black women who settled in Appalachia. Author Crystal Wilkinson joins us to discuss her new book, Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks

 

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Oakland Chefs face off in “Feeding the Culture” event for Black History Month​

KPIX | CBS NEWS BAY AREA
Feb 1, 2024
Chef Michele McQueen is ready to face other chefs in the shrimp and grits taste-off at Town Fare Cafe in Oakland while celebrating community, fun, and food

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[jj23]

Interesting recognition of Caribbean food.

University installs Turner Prize-winning sculpture - BBC News

The Veronica Ryan artwork is added to the University of Warwick's sculpture park.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

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*10 minutes, press play

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*On Thursday's flavorful segment of "Hot Spots" on The Rashad Richey Morning Show, renowned senior editor at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Mike Jordan, and leading the Black culture team, along with Celebrity Chef Todd Richards, discussed Atlanta's exciting food culture and the significance of vibe dining in the city. This captivating conversation delved into the essence of African cuisine, the importance of supporting local businesses, and the necessity for open dialogue regarding Atlanta's dining experience. It was prompted by the Eater ATL article, by Jordan, posted below

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