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My thoughts on the season and this year so far. I also share with you, in a pseudo rapid-fire segment, what I'm listening to, reading, eating, watching for the rest of the year.Vonnie William's article: https://www.foodandwine.com/news/yorm-ackuaku-podcast-african-food-storiesZoe Adjonyo's BlackBook Initiative: https://www.instagram.com/blackbook_2020Thank you for your support, have a great holiday season and talk to you again in the new year!----Follow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Item 13 by becoming a member!Item 13: An African Food Podcast is Powered by Simplecast. 

Ginjan Brothers was founded by Mohammed Diallo & Ibrahima Diallo. The brothers immigrated to the States in their early teens, 13 & 14, respectively. Mohammed has a formal training in business management and spent the bulk of his professional career in the financial services industry. Ibrahima is an engineer by training, but spent most of his career in the hospitality industry. Their mission with Ginjan is to make African food, drink, and aesthetics and integral part of global mainstream culture.*CPG = consumer packaged goodsFind Ginjan Brothers online: www.drinkginjan.comGinjan Bros. Social: @ginjanbros + @ginjancafePhoto Courtesy of Ginjan Brothers----Follow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Item 13 by becoming a member!Item 13: An African Food Podcast is Powered by Simplecast.

Ginjan Brothers was founded by Mohammed Diallo & Ibrahima Diallo. The brothers immigrated to the States in their early teens, 13 & 14, respectively. Mohammed has a formal training in business management and spent the bulk of his professional career in the financial services industry. Ibrahima is an engineer by training, but spent most of his career in the hospitality industry. Their mission with Ginjan is to make African food, drink, and aesthetics and integral part of global mainstream culture.*CPG = consumer packaged goodsFind Ginjan Brothers online: www.drinkginjan.comGinjan Bros. Social: @ginjanbros + @ginjancafe-----Photo Courtesy of Ginjan BrothersFollow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Item 13 by becoming a member!Item 13: An African Food Podcast is Powered by Simplecast.

This week’s guest is Tayo Oredola, the food photographer, recipe developer, and writer at lowcarbafrica.com.Originally from Nigeria, Tayo lives in Austin, TX with her husband and two kids. Her background is in software engineering but she is passionate about food and developing new recipes.Her blog, Low Carb Africa, was born out of the desire to keep eating her traditional African dishes while maintaining her weight. African food by nature is loaded with carbs so Tayo had to get really creative in the kitchen and come up with low carb versions of her favorite dishes, without sacrificing on taste. Her dishes are usually bold, spicy, and mouth wateringly delicious!When not in the kitchen, Tayo can be found watching movies with her kids or strumming on her guitar.Get a free 7-day keto menu on Tayo’s site when you sign up for her newsletter at https://www.lowcarbafrica.comFind Low Carb Africa on Instagram: @lowcarbafricaPhoto Courtesy of Tayo Oredola----Follow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Item 13 by becoming a member!Item 13: An African Food Podcast is Powered by Simplecast.

This week’s guest is Lola Adeyemi, Founder of It’s Souper. After working for over a decade in the corporate IT world, Lola Adeyemi decided to quit her job to focus on 'It's Souper', an Afro-fusion soup line she launched in November 2018.She felt that there was a need to fill a void that currently exists in the Canadian Retail space for African inspired/ethnic recipes made “By Us for All". It’s Souper is the first African & Black Owned Soup line in Canada.These recipes are shaking up the soup aisle with a burst of flavor and taste that keeps customers coming back.---- Follow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Item 13 by becoming a member!Item 13: An African Food Podcast is Powered by Simplecast. 

This week’s guest is Adégnimika (Adé) Carrena, owner of Dounou Cuisine. Born in Porto-Novo, Benin, Adé started her culinary journey here in the United States when she was adopted at the age of 10. Though then she cooked just with her family. She says her passion did not grow until a few years ago when her perception of food changed. “I saw that food is more than an edible but is instead a shared emotion and an ever evolving yet traditional canvas for our history as beings.” Adé’s objective is to bridge cultural gaps by providing authentic African dining experiences and sharing the land’s rich culture while also honoring her blended upbringing within a Puerto Rican home. For the last few years, she’s hosted Pop-up dinners in which her perception of West African food was showcased. She offers Personal Chef services, catering, Pop-ups and more.“Where I come from we say, Wa mi Dounou. Which means, come share a meal with me. I cherish this thought because there is nothing more special than gathering with fellow beings, nourishing our bodies, exchanging cultures and creating memories, all in the simple act of savoring a meal. I look forward to sharing a meal with you"!Find Adé on instagram: @dounou_cuisineInterested in hosting a private cooking class? Email Adé at dounoucuisine@gmail.com Photo Courtesy of Adégnimika Carrena Follow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Item 13 by becoming a member!Item 13: An African Food Podcast is Powered by Simplecast.

This week’s guest is award-winning Chef Alain Lemaire, Co-owner and Executive Chef of Sensory Delights, LLC and Arome Catering, both full service catering companies based out of South Florida and Haiti respectively.He is a native of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, where he first discovered his interest in cooking. Later on, he developed an increasing passion for food and foodservice which led him to attend the Culinary program at the acclaimed Johnson & Wales University.Thanks to his heritage and having spent most of his career in South Florida, Caribbean and Latin flavors play a major role in Chef Lemaire's style of cooking: "fresh, bold and in your face!" as he would say it.Find Chef Lemaire and Sensory Delights online and on social media:@cheflemaire on all platforms@sensorydelightscatering on all platformshttps://www.sensorydelights.net/ Image courtesy of Alain Lemaire.----Follow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Item 13 by becoming a member!Item 13: An African Food Podcast is Powered by Simplecast. 

This week’s guest is Sophia Musoki, a Ugandan food blogger, writer and photographer whose work through A Kitchen in Uganda has been instrumental in bringing Ugandan cuisine to the world. She has been featured on Cuisine Noir, CNN, City Press and many other publications. Sophie has self published 3 e-books one of which won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award in 2015. Her blog has been nominated for the prestigious Saveur Magazine blog award in the food culture category. She is a strong advocate for eating local, exploring Uganda food and way of cooking and using indigenous produce to make scrumptious meals. As a self-taught food photographer, she is on a mission to photograph African food and document food experiences in a positive light. As a food writer, she is passionate about experimenting with and writing about local indigenous produce on her blog while giving her readers practical ways they can incorporate this food in their daily lives.Support Sophie’s work online:Photography Resource:https://mailchi.mp/e8d457b528b3/5-cheap-places-to-source-propsPhotography Prints: https://society6.com/akitcheninugandaE-book: https://payhip.com/b/fl8mBlog & Social Media: www.akitcheninuganda.comPhoto Courtesy of Sophie Musoki-----Follow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Item 13 by becoming a member!Item 13: An African Food Podcast is Powered by Simplecast.

This week’s guest is Dominique Tolbert, entrepreneur and owner of TLBRT Hospitality & Mesean Spices. Dominique grew up in Maryland in a Liberian household, being introduced to the flavors of West African and Caribbean cuisine early on. Since then, her travels have taken her throughout the US and around the world, allowing her to explore and experience the cuisines of many cultures.The art of bringing food and people together started when hosting Sunday Dinner parties for friends in New York City, giving them the opportunity to be some of Dominique's first and favorite food critics to date. These experiences have ultimately served as a model for today and future business to come.Dominique holds a degree in Hotel & Tourism Management from NYU, has experience as a restaurant manager with MGM Resorts in Las Vegas, as a cook with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, working her way around the kitchen on multiple stations, and now as a business owner. She currently owns TLBRT Hospitality, a catering and events company, and Mesean Spices, a company that creates spice blends inspired by the African Diaspora.She is also a full-time MBA student at George Washington University in DC and has most recently completed GW's Summer Start-Up Accelerator for entrepreneurs.Find Dominique & her businesses online:www.tlbrthospitality.com (and Facebook, Instagram)www.meseanspices.com (and Facebook, Instagram) www.linkedin.com/dominique-tolbert Clarification Note:When talking about the Liberian dish, ""torborgee,"" there are two types: beans torborgee and torborgee made with kittley and bitter ball. Dominique misspoke and said it was made with okra. Photo Courtesy of Dominique Tolbert / Rian Watkins----Follow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Item 13 by becoming a member!Item 13: An African Food Podcast is Powered by Simplecast.

Season 4 is finally here. Find out what to expect, including some major news!Follow Item 13 on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @item13podcastDon't forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

Part 2 of our conversation with Chef Akudo wraps up Season 3! --Nigerian-born, Akudo Agokei was self-taught for the first 2 years of his chef career, then went on to train at the Leith's Culinary School of Food and Wine. He went on to train and work at French and Moroccan fusion restaurant, Bistro Vadouvan, Putney, before venturing on to various other restaurants. He is currently the head chef and owner of Kedu Cookery School, a cookery school and chef training centre based in Walsall, West Midlands, UK, providing affordable training to aspiring chefs, and great cooking experiences to the community. As a chef, he specialises in traditional and contemporary Nigerian cuisine, combining the core elements of French cooking and his understanding of umami extractions from African spices and ingredients, to create and recreate delectable dishes with the richness of West Africa at its core.--This month, we're thrilled to be included in Dine Diaspora's 31 Days of Black Women in Food! Check out the link or our social media pages for deets.--Follow Item 13 on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.esSense 13 is on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.Don’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

Nigerian-born, Akudo Agokei was self-taught for the first 2 years of his chef career, then went on to train at the Leith's Culinary School of Food and Wine. He went on to train and work at French and Moroccan fusion restaurant, Bistro Vadouvan, Putney, before venturing on to various other restaurants. He is currently the head chef and owner of Kedu Cookery School, a cookery school and chef training centre based in Walsall, West Midlands, UK, providing affordable training to aspiring chefs, and great cooking experiences to the community. As a chef, he specialises in traditional and contemporary Nigerian cuisine, combining the core elements of French cooking and his understanding of umami extractions from African spices and ingredients, to create and recreate delectable dishes with the richness of West Africa at its core.--This month, we're thrilled to be included in Dine Diaspora's 31 Days of Black Women in Food! Check out the link or our social media pages for deets.--Follow Item 13 on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.esSense 13 is on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.Don’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

Eden Hagos is a celebrated host, food writer, and founder of the media and events company, Black Foodie. She's an Ethiopian Canadian with a passion for African and Caribbean cuisine and hosts unique food events throughout Toronto. Her work and notable mentions have been featured in Chatelaine, Essence, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and CBC to name a few.Find Eden online: blackfoodie.coinstagram.com/Edenthefoodieblackfoodie.bigcartel.com----------------------------------------------Follow Item 13 on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.esSense 13 is on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.Don’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

On the show:My experience at #mbafoodconYear of return perspectivesReflections on 2019All the plans for 2020Learn more about the Food Innovation Network and how you can support the upcoming food hall: https://foodinnovationnetwork.org/programs/----------------------------------------------Follow Item 13 on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.esSense 13 is on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.Don’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

Vonnie Williams is a first-generation Ghanaian-American and food writer. After diving in head-first into the world of food media working for a boutique PR firm, Vonnie was frustrated with the lack of minority representation in food media. She’s written for Food & Wine, TASTE and Edible Brooklyn, and is founded sincerelyvonnie.com, a food and culture website that serves as an unapologetic and sincere space to talk about her experiences. In her free time, Vonnie loves to cook the easiest dishes from her cookbooks, eat copious amounts of ice cream, and perfect her jollof rice recipe.----------------------------------------------Find Vonnie online: www.sincerelyvonnie.comVonnie's stories (as mentioned on the show):Fufu's Many Faces (Taste): https://www.tastecooking.com/deceptive-simplicity-fufu/Top Chef Eric Adjepong Story (Food and Wine) : https://www.foodandwine.com/news/top-chef-judges-diversity-representation-reaction-eric-adjepongStudy Hall (resource for media workers): studyhall.xyz----------------------------------------------Follow Item 13 on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.esSense 13 is on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.Don’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

Yasmine Fofana is the pioneer when it comes to promoting the culinary scene of Côte d’Ivoire (West Africa). She not only launched the 1st food blog of Côte d’Ivoire in 2012: “Journal d’une Foodie” now rebranded as “Afrofoodie”, she also launched Côte d’Ivoire's 1st Restaurant week: “Abidjan Restaurant Week”. Thanks to her continuous efforts in sharing the Ivorian culinary scene with the world, Yasmine was selected as a Mandela Washington Fellow 2016 under President Obama’s Young Africa Leaders Initiative.----------------------------------------------Find Afrofoodie online: Afrofoodie.netFollow Item 13 on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.esSense 13 is on Facebook , Instagram and Twitter.Don’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

Eulanda and Omo are co-founders of Hey! Dip Your Toes In (HDYTI); an award-winning platform which promotes creative digital content with a focus on global travel and food culture. They have worked with leading brands including Coca-Cola, IBM, Etihad Airways, Uncle Ben's, and tourism boards around the world to create content to help tell their unique stories.Their work has been featured in Forbes, Lonely Planet, House of Coco, Culture Trip, Matador Network, CULTURS, Voyage, Blogosphere magazine, and other publications.Their authoritative voice on global travel, food tourism, and influencer marketing has led them to be sought out as guest speakers.Past speaking engagements include the TEDx, TBEX, Traverse, WITS, TFM, WTM, Hotelympia, and others.Find Hey! Dip Your Toes In online and sign up here to get more information on their upcoming retreat in 2020.----Interested in promoting your food product/service/event? Send details in an audio file to: yorm at essense 13 dot com. Listen to S3 E1 for guidelines on what to share in your file.Follow Item 13 Podcast on Instagram and Twitter Don’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

Maria Bradford was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone and now lives in Kent, England. She started cooking when she was 9 years old and has always loved cooking for her friends and family. When growing up in Sierra Leone, the dominant career advice was to become an accountant. Until her early 20's, she'd convinced herself that this was the career path for her. She studied for an accounting degree and worked in various finance roles and was unhappy and unfulfilled. Cooking is her calling. She learnt about the classics at Leiths School of Food and Wine in London. Maria delivers memorable evenings for private dinners; caters for special occasions such as corporate events, weddings and charity dinners; and runs quarterly supper club events in London. She also has a product line consisting of two chilli sauces and drinks which are available on her website, www.mariabradfordkitchen.com“I love this job, I love creating new dishes and I want to be an ambassador for African ingredients, African food all inspired by my Sierra Leonean heritage.”You can find Maria Bradford Kitchen on Instagram and online at www.mariabradfordkitchen.comInterested in promoting your food product/service/event? Send details in an audio file to: yorm at essense 13 dot com. Listen to S3 E1 for guidelines on what to share in your file.---Follow Item 13 Podcast on Instagram and Twitter Don’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

This week, I chat with owner & head chef at Naija Buka Seattle, a Nigerian food company based out of Kent, Washington State. Her goal is to introduce everyone to the awesomeness of Nigerian dishes.In this episode, we discuss our mutual love/like relationship with Seattle and Lilian's:Journey from Nigeria to SeattleEarly cooking experiences with her grandma back home in NigeriaFirst job in the US working at Nordstrom and how she transitioned into a culinary entrepreneur Participation in the Food Innovation Network's Food Business Incubator andThe various components of Naija Buka including pop up events, catering, new meal kits Find Naija Buka Seattle online: https://naijabukaseattle.com/Tickets to Sunday Rice Traditions event here.Interested in promoting your food product/service/event? Send details in an audio file to: yorm at essense 13 dot com. Listen to S3 E1 for guidelines on what to share in your file.---Follow Item 13 Podcast on Instagram and Twitter Don’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!

We’re Baaaack!! In this episode, I share: What I’ve been up to all summer, including a MAJOR moveNew podcast format for Season 3 (let me know what you think!)Opportunity for food entrepreneurs Plans for the rest of the year - NY peeps take note ;)Thank you to all who supported the Taste of Foutta Djallon events. Full list of partners here: https://www.tasteoffouttadjallon.com/Tickets for the UNGA side event in NY, on Monday September 23: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/building-an-africa-innovation-ecosystem-in-new-york-tickets-71432575757Find out more about NY Africa Restaurant Week here: https://nyarw.com/Interested in promoting your food product/service/event? Send details in an audio file to: yorm at essense 13 dot com. Listen to the show for guidelines on what to share in your file.---Follow Item 13 Podcast on Instagram and TwitterDon’t forget to subscribe & leave us a review!