Storytelling Through Food
{Image of salmon, clams, yellow sauce in a dark colored ceramic bowl sitting on a grey-washed wood-grained surface}
There are many ways to tell the stories of the Black American experience. Around the world cooking has been a way for people to express love, gratitude, their culinary innovations, and share their culinary heritage with loved ones and guests over the centuries. Given the opportunities to attend culinary schools, appear on televised cooking shows, write cookbooks, open restaurants or pop-up dinners, we are finally seeing and experiencing the culinary skills of Black chefs around the world. The skills and talent that we, in the Black community, knew existed, are finally beginning to be acknowledged and embraced by mainstream (white) society for the contributions they have made to America’s culinary heritage.
The New York Times recently featured the work of Chef Eric Adjepong and his curated meal, “The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Through Food.” Adjepong, a first generation Ghanian-American, was the first West African contestant on “Top Chef” now in its 16th season. As an eliminated finalist on the “Top Chef,” Adjepong was unable to finish his four-course meal in which he hoped to showcase the influence of Africa’s culinary heritage on American cuisine. In the article he explains how he hoped to tell the story of the trans-Atlantic slave trade from African countries’ ports across the ocean to the Caribbean islands, Southern United States, and South America. Fortunately, Adjepong was given a second opportunity to share his full meal through a pop-up dinner at fellow chef Tom Colicchio’s restaurant in New York City, Craft in May. According to his Food & Wine interview, he has been invited to cook his meal at future events as well!
In addition to this special meal at Craft, Adjepong along with his wife, interior designer Janell Mack-Adjepong, also curate dining experiences for clients including cooking and event designing. This venture established in 2015, entitled Pinch & Plate is described as a “customizable, mobile dinner party service” to suit the needs and theme of the client. I would love to see how Mack-Adjepong would decorate a dinner party for Adjepong’s dinner “The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Through Dinner” – better yet, I would love to work with her on such an event. Could you imagine?! I hope that Mack-Adjepong is featured in the future for the design work she is doing to contribute to the overall dining experience. The atmosphere in which one eats is very important to how one enjoys their food. The stimulation of all senses (taste, tactile, olfactory, visual, auditory) makes a meal the most enjoyable!
“Chef Adjepong.” Chef Adjepong. Accessed May 23, 2019. http://www.chefadjepong.com/.
“Eric Adjepong.” Bravo TV Official Site, October 18, 2018. https://www.bravotv.com/people/eric-adjepong.
“Eric Adjepong Made His ‘Top Chef’ Finale Meal Anyway.” Food & Wine. Accessed May 23, 2019. https://www.foodandwine.com/news/eric-adjepong-top-chef-finale-meal-transatlantic-slave-trade-dinner-craft.
“Pinchandplate” Accessed May 23, 2019. http://www.pinchandplate.com/.
Wilson, Korsha. “A Chef Tells the Story of the Slave Trade Through Dinner.” The New York Times, May 18, 2019, sec. Food. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/dining/top-chef-eric-adjepong-west-african-food.html.
