Today on the Greenhero Podcast, Rikard is with the Founder and CEO of Kelewele, Rachel Laryea. Kelewele is a food service and cultural lifestyle brand reimagining plantains and is on a mission to connect with the African diaspora through food, culture, and innovation. As a child growing up in a traditional Ghanaian home, Rachel eagerly watched her mother fry plantains in the family’s old cast iron, black pot. She quickly grew a love for the fruit for its sweet taste, often paired with savory and spicy flavors. The first plantain dish she ever had was Kelewele, a popular Ghanaian street food consisting of fried plantains marinated in spices and served with groundnuts. Equipped with a culinary curiosity after years of assisting her mother cook Ghanaian dishes, Rachel embarked college as a broke undergraduate who could always rely on plantains for cheap eats. Additionally, in her transition to a healthier, vegetarian lifestyle, plantains became her go-to ingredient as a nutritionally rich, vegan food. It was during this time that she first began to experiment with plantains by exploring their versatility and pairing them with bold flavors from across the globe.  Kelewele was built with a desire to see more culturally influenced and culturally framed products in an American context. At the center of it all is the importance and impact being vegan has, and the versatility, accessibility, and cultural significance plantains have. A major part of that was the education surrounding plant-based eating without losing the history and meaning behind the meals. We’re in a dynamic time, Rachel says, where retailers and corporations are looking to uplift marginalized communities and voices. On top of that, people are looking to have a more meaningful, experienced-based food option.  The conversation surrounding plant-based foods is present, but not at scale, Rachel points out. It also isn’t at a place that can rival cultural desires just yet. In an African context, for many, meat is a sign of privilege, success, and that you have an elevated social and economic status. It’s something to be proud of. This conversation challenges that. Things you’ll learn  At the center of it all is the importance and impact being vegan has, and the versatility, accessibility, and cultural significance plantains have.  A major part of that was the education surrounding plant-based eating without losing the history and meaning behind the meals. We’re in a dynamic time, Rachel says, where retailers and corporations are looking to uplift marginalized communities and voices. On top of that, people are looking to have a more meaningful, experienced-based food option.  LINKS https://www.kelewelenyc.com/ @kelewelenyc