There is perhaps no more complex a story of tragedy and transformation than that of the African diaspora between the 16th and 19th centuries. But along with the forced transplantation of bodies and lives came the transplantation of culinary tastes, techniques, ingredients, and dishes to places like the Caribbean, Latin America, and the southern United States.
In the nine lessons of Africa’s Culinary Diaspora in the Americas, embark on a culinary journey guided by The Culinary Institute of America’s Alumni Network that will introduce (or perhaps re-introduce) you to the foods of the African-Atlantic world. You’ll explore the taste profiles, key recipes, sacred and secular cooking techniques, and the food history of places like Senegal, Ethiopia, Cuba, Brazil, Jamaica, Haiti, and the American South. The best part: You’ll do so in the company of a team of chefs, writers, and scholars with extensive experience in both the kitchens and libraries of the regions they present.
Collected here are fascinating stories of remembrance and resilience—stories told by the varieties of traditions on display here with deep roots in the African continent. There is plenty of food to celebrate here, and there’s an important story to be told by the varieties of ingredients and foods you’ll encounter.
These nine lessons provide a powerful window into seeing how many of the foods you enjoy today carry with them the stories of African peoples and cultures—while introducing you to foods you’re yet to discover and taste. Most important, this series provides an avenue for the stories of the African peoples and cultures to be honored and celebrated, while we also start to reckon with the pain of the past and celebrate what we share with one another.
