If there is anything you want to learn about the Caribbean island of Haiti, our next guest is the perfect person to get to know. Nadege Fleurimond, a Haitian-born culinary innovator, author and now restaurateur, is redefining Haitian cuisine through her acclaimed establishment, BunNan, located in Brooklyn’s vibrant Flatbush Caton Market with a second location opening soon. Her culinary journey includes appearances on Food Network’s “Chopped” and accolades from publications such as...

Adjo Honsou is celebrating  her victory as the winner of “The Great American Recipe,” season 3. The home cook and scientist turned food entrepreneur proudly represented her native country of Togo on the national show with recipes that authentically shared her culinary DNA on a plate challenge after challenge. Now the St. Louis owner of Fufu N Sauce is embracing the next chapter of how her journey that includes continuing to use food as a way to bring community together through her food...

If you know a little bit about Berkeley, California, one will agree that it is provides the perfect backdrop for an annual event called The Bizerkely Food Festival that is the largest vegan food festival showcasing the best in plant-based cuisine, art and apparel. Founder and plant-based lifestyle advocate Erika Hazel launched the first one in 2020 with scavenger hunt version that got vegan food enthusiasts out to support small vegan businesses during an especially challenging time. Fast...

Born and raised in Zimbabwe, Kudakwashe Makoni, aka Chef Kuda, raised in the kitchen by his grandmother who he says spoiled him.  At 19, his family moved the U.S. settling in Texas where he went to school and began to pursue a career in industries other than food. But it wasn’t long before food came calling and after going to culinary school and moving back to Zimbabwe to continue honing his skills and techniques in African cuisine, The Black Chef as he is known was born. Now living in...

Steps away from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is a beautity boutique hotel built from the vision of Dr. Matifadza Nyazema or Dr. Mati, former journalist and hospitality veteran. She built Mbano Manor Hotel from the ground up over the couse of three years between 2016 and 2019, opening her doors in February 2020 right before the world shut down for the COVID pandemic. But just as beautiful as the 18-room property with a one presidential suite is the story of vision, faith and determination to...

Steps away from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is a beautity boutique hotel built from the vision of Dr. Matifadza Nyazema or Dr. Mati, former journalist and hospitality veteran. She built Mbano Manor Hotel from the ground up over the couse of three years between 2016 and 2019, opening her doors in February 2020 right before the world shut down for the COVID pandemic. But just as beautiful as the 18-room property with a one presidential suite is the story of vision, faith and determination to...

Steps away from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is a beautity boutique hotel built from the vision of Dr. Matifadza Nyazema or Dr. Mati, former journalist and hospitality veteran. She built Mbano Manor Hotel from the ground up over the couse of three years between 2016 and 2019, opening her doors in February 2020 right before the world shut down for the COVID pandemic. But just as beautiful as the 18-room property with a one presidential suite is the story of vision, faith and determination to...

Aimée Wallin is a co-director of the nonprofit Ghana Food Movement based, a network of food producers, entrepreneurs and community working together to create a resilient and sustainable food system in Ghana. Aimée's work includes connecting with foodies and food practioners around the world and is working on her biggest project yet, Ghana Food Movement’s food education hub, The Kitchen, scheduled to open later this fall in Accra. Listen and Connect  Website Instagram Diaspora Food...

Recognized as a leader in the tourism sector for more than 25 years, Petra Roach is the guiding force behind Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA), assuming the role of CEO in 2021. Under her leadership, Petra is proud to share the beauty, history and culture of Grenada as well as its sister islands Carraicou and Petite Martinique. Since joining GTA, she has successfully lead the destination through the pandemic recovery process and leans into innovation and powerful relationships to continue...

Charla L. Draper is a nationally recognized food influencer and culinary communications professional providing marketing services for food and food related products through her consultancy company It’s Food Biz!   She is also the founder of National Soul Food Month launched in June of 2001 to celebrates the heritage and history of foods and foodways of people from the African diaspora. With a menu of guests lined up to celebrate its 23rd year, we’re talking about what makes a true soul food...

Thomas Dorsey began championing Black travel stories 30 years ago to share a diverse perspective that was missing from the travel industry. Black travelers have always been savvy and adventurous and most importantly want experiences that speak to who we are culturally.  That is where Soul of America comes in. In this episode, Thomas is sharing why it was important to bring diverse voices and perspectives to the industry,  where other sites and publications miss the make when it comes to...

Elisha Barnes is a 4th generation peanut farmer who was born and raised in Virginia.  His legacy includes a being raised in a strong family where agriculture was centered in their life and the seeds planted are now flourishing on his own farm, Pop Son Farm. His partnership with Hubbard Peanut Company has been a game changer being a small farmer. Pop Son Farm’s peanuts are the now part of the company’s success as well as philanthropic efforts to help those who are food insecure. In this...

Michael Henderson is the founder of B.A.G. Travel or Black and Gay Travel that specializes in designing adventures for small groups to destinations around the world. The "adventure designer," began traveling more than 20 years ago, taking his first solo trip to Thailand.  After returning, he knew travel would be a way of life and over the years became a global citizen of the world, learning from each experience and people met along the way. From Thailand to South Africa, Mexico and at least...

Rachel Adjei is a chef and entrepreneur based in Toronto, Canada.  In 2020, she founded The Abibiman Project, a social enterprise venture that introduces the abundance of flavors and ingredients from the African continent and its diaspora through dishes and products created to give back to organizations serving the communities, especially residents who are food insecure. As one of Toronto’s rising stars, she is creating an impact by doing what she loves: bringing people together through...

Vernita Harris and Beatrice Moore have turned a 40-plus year friendship into a business over food. The friends met while in attending Praire View A & M University in Texas as college students and have since supported each other’s journeys through life since.  Their friendship turned into a partnership during the pandemic in 2020 when they began to create a community by sharing recipes. This led to publishing their first cookbook, ”Pinch-Dash-Done: A Gateway to Flavorful Recipes,” which...

New Jersey native Dr. Wanida Lewis founded Crescendo Foods, Ghana’s first shared kitchen coworking hub, in 2021. A food scientist by profession, Crescendo Foods’ focus is to “create a Pan-African ecosystem to celebrate culture through food as well as art.” It also serves as a safe place where innovative ideas can be nurtured. Located in the country’s capital, Accra, Dr. Lewis and her team are preparing to host participants who want to learn about African cuisine, specifically Ghana’s...

Happy Black History Month! We're going to be taking a short break this month to enjoy the work we do that centers around telling Black food stories. We'll be back on March 6 to kick off more great conversations with amazing people in food, drink and travel! Until then, be sure to catch up on episodes and visit our YouTube channel, The Global Food and Drink Initiative, to watch partial or full conversations! Be sure to also check out Cuisine Noir, our digital and print publication, for...

If you love wine and hip-hop, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.  Jermaine Stone, aka The Real Wolf of Wine, didn’t know that the goal of getting a simple office job that was part of a bigger plan to go into business would lead to traveling the world for wine. The Bronx native worked for Zachy’s, an auction house in New York, where he began to learn about wine from the operations side. As his career and knowledge expanded, he eventually became a consultant for some of the biggest...

Tunde Wey is more than an artist and writer.  He is also a cook who uses "nigerian food to interrogate colonialism, capitalism and racism," per his website. We first learned about his work when new outlets began reporting on his social projects in New Orleans that charged White people at least 2x more for plates of food as a way of discussing the wealth disparity gap in the city. But before he began cooking for people and using food to passionately advocate around issues relating to race...

Born in Somalia and raised in Italy, Chef Bashir Munye has called Toronto home for the past 22 years. Growing up in the Mediterranean, fresh seasonal foods were the norm. His approach to cooking is simple. In this episode, he talks about his brief time in Somalia before moving to Italy at five years old and assimilating to Italian culture, only to later, as an adult, find his way back to his African roots and how this shows up in this work as a chef, food advocate, and educator today.

These days, Agatha Achindu is wearing several hats as a successful entrepreneur, wellness architect, and, most recently, cookbook author. The Cameroonian author of "Bountiful Cooking," released September 2023, is also the founder of Yummy Spoonfuls, which she started in 2006 to help parents become more intentional about the foods they give their children. With an unwavering commitment to sharing her passion for healthy eating and living with others, she gives listeners a behind-the-scenes...

Switzerland and Chicago-based entrpreneurs Kudzai Bingepinge and Awa Kone sit down with host Sheree Williams for this episode of Diaspora Food Stories to talk about their business venture African Flavor Lab and their brand N/UM, African artisan salts. With roots in both Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast, the duo have uncovered one of Africa's hidden gems, salt.  Through N/Um, they are not only delivering great taste, but African culinary history in each of their five artisanal offerings.

Riaz Phillips is a multi-disciplined, award-winning writer and documenter whose passion for food from the Caribbean and Black food culture in the U.K., has taken readers on a journey from the vibrant streets of London, the immigrant settlings around the U.K., and to the corners of the Caribbean. His deep-rooted connection to his Caribbean heritage has enabled him to seek out the often-untold stories and bring them to a new audience, through in-depth essays, reporting, activism, film,...

Recorded on August 31, which has been designated by the United Nations as the International Day for People of African descent, host Sheree Williams connects with Canadian urban farmer Anan Lololi to talk about his work around Black food sovereignty in Toronto. Born and raised in Guyana, Anan moved to Toronto as a muscian, playing for one of the city's top reggae group Truths & Right before deciding to go back to school and study business.  Anan soon found himself in the food world,...