31 DAYS OF BLACK WOMEN IN FOOD

2O2O HONOREES

In its 3rd year, Dine Diaspora’s “31 Days of Black Women in Food” celebrates the contributions of dynamic black women in the food and beverage industry during Women’s History Month. Although their contributions often go unnoticed by mainstream media, the impact of their respective bodies of work in the industry as a whole is undeniable. From the first black woman to run a Michelin star restaurant to food activists within communities, the contributions of these women must continuously be identified and recognized. Over 300 black women from around the world were nominated by the public for five key categories - Trailblazers, Amplifiers, Game Changers, Innovators, and Creatives.

Carefully judged by food, business, and lifestyle experts - Carla Hall, Thérèse Nelson, Colleen Vincent, Korsha Wilson, Kalisa Marie Martin, Afua Osei, and V. Sheree Williams - we present the 31 honorees:

Klancy Miller is a pastry chef, author and founder of For The Culture, a biannual printed food magazine that celebrates black women in food and wine. A first of its kind, the magazine will showcase black women’s expertise, experiences, and relationships around food.

Keitra Bates is the owner and founder of Marddys, a commercial kitchen where home cooks can make and sell their products in West Atlanta, GA. On a mission to preserve and promote culinary culture, Keitra’s kitchen addresses the risk of losing culinary history due to gentrification and rapid development. By providing home cooks a space and resources to maintain their distribution channels, Kietra is transforming the health and wealth of the community she serves.

Olympia Auset is the owner and founder of SÜPRMARKT, an affordable organic grocery that serves low-income communities in Los Angeles, CA. On a mission to combat food deserts in neighborhoods she grew up in, Olympia’s grocery has served over 25,000 pounds of organic fruits, vegetables and seeds since its inception in 2016. Her work at  SÜPRMARKT has been featured in The LA Times, Blavity, Forbes and more.

Gail Taylor also known as “The People’s Farmer” is the owner of Three Part Harmony farm, a small-scale agroecological farm, located on a 2-acre parcel in northeast Washington, DC. A social justice activist, Gail established the Three Part Harmony Farm in order to create a vegetable focused farm that serves family, friends and the surrounding community. Her work on the farm extends to Capitol Hill, where her three year campaign “ I want DC to Grow '' resulted in the passage of the DC Food Security Act of 2014 also known as DCs Farm Bill which enables farmers to grow commercially in the district.

Dr. Sunyatta Amen is the founder and Tea-EO of Calabash Tea & Tonic, a tea shop located in Washington, DC serving aromatic teas and tonics, locally baked vegan treats, kombucha on tap, and fair trade coffee. A fifth generation master herbalist, naturopathic doctor and vegan chef, Dr. Amen combines her ancestral and western knowledge to improve the lives of city dwellers by creating tea blends and foods rooted in her Jamaican grandmother’s time-tested recipes.

Shannon Mustipher is spirits educator, cocktail consultant and the founder of Women Who Tiki, a collective of bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts whose shared passion for Tiki transcends into one of a kind pop-up cocktail experiences where skills are elevated behind the bar.  Also an author, Shannon’s first book, Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails, features over 65 original cocktail recipes, techniques and tasting notes. Shannon's work has been featured in The LA Times, GQ, Bon Appetit and more.

Aminah “Chef Mimi” Robinson is the creator of the Oakland Black Food and Wine Experience, an experiential escape for foodies into a world of food and wine purveyed by black culinary creatives, chefs, restaurants and vintners. A visionary in many ways, Chef Mimi’s passion for showcasing food from a black lens also led her to create “Bringing it to the Table (BITTT)”, a competitive reality TV show where black chefs showcase their talents and skills.

Mariya Russell is the first black woman to run a Michelin starred kitchen in the Michelin Guide’s over 100 year history. In 2019, twenty-nine year old Mariya received this honor as Chef de Cuisine at Kikko located in Chicago, IL.

Julia Coney is a Washington, D.C. and Houston, Texas-based wine writer, wine educator, speaker, and consultant whose work explores the intersection between race and wine. She holds a WSET Level Two Certification in wine and spirits and her work has been featured in Wine Enthusiast, Food + Wine, The Tasting Panel, Plate Magazine, Forbes.com and more.

Yewande Komolafe is a recipe developer, food stylist and writer whose approach to food is based on the cultural connections made through food. Yewande is a regular contributor to The New York Times Cooking and has written several publications for the The New York Times that showcase the foodways from Lagos, Nigeria to Brooklyn, New York.

Vonnie Williams’s love for food and writing led her to create Sincerely, Vonnie, a multidimensional platform that weaves in and out of multiple identities and celebrates food and food culture through a black lens. Vonnie’s work has been featured in Eater, Food & Wine, TASTE, Serious Eats and more.

Melissa Jones is the host of Edible Activist, a podcast that features dynamic people of color in the food and agriculture space who share personal food journeys, stories and perspectives that stem from the land. Based in Washington, DC, Melissa interviews a plethora of people from everyday growers to extraordinary people who exemplify activism in their own edible way.

Yorm Tagoe is a food entrepreneur and  host of Item 13, a podcast that explores African food across the globe. Yorm interviews chefs, curators, bloggers and entrepreneurs who are amplifying African food on a global scale while introducing her listeners to new concepts about African food.

Alice Grandoit is a co-founder of Earthseed Provisions, a culinary studio and future food lab that advocates for food justice through youth-centric nutrition, wellness programming and community engagement. With over 10 years of experience working with organizations to build awareness through strategic community partnerships, Alice’s work at Earthseed Provisions is continuously dedicated to moving the culture forward with intention. Also a creative strategist and experiential designer, Alice works with chefs to pilot and develop brick-and-mortar concepts.

Amenze Igbinedion Okeke aka “Professor Food” uses social media as a tool to share knowledge for growing successful businesses in food. Specifically focusing on Nigerian food businesses, Amenze provides training and mentoring support to food entrepreneurs.  A food business consultant, entrepreneur and chef, Amenzae is on a mission to help small business owners establish profitable enterprises in Nigeria’s food industry. 

Jerri Evans is the owner of Turning Natural, a chain of juice bars located in the DC metropolitan area with a mission to bring better choices to communities that are underserved and to make healthy foods affordable and tasty. With over 20 years experience in juicing and holistic living, Jerri’s work at Turning Natural provides a valuable service to communities that would otherwise lack "better choice" options.

Lachelle Cunningham is a chef and founder of Chelles’ Kitchen, a catering company  on a mission to normalize healthy eating and reclaim the narrative around health through the exploration, innovation, and economic development of food culture centered on soul food history, nutritional healing and social justice. Also an educator, Lachelle teaches  aspiring chefs and culinary creatives through her Healthy Roots Institute where she provides culinary skills, food business consultations and coaching. 

Milan Durham is the owner of Cultured Kombucha, a kombucha company brewed out of the District Columbia which believes all communities should have access to and knowledge of internal health and wellness. Milan started Cultured Kombucha to not only highlight Kombucha’s probiotic benefits but also to normalize Kombucha in black and brown communities. 

Nailah Ellis-Brown is the  founder and CEO of Ellis Infinity Beverage Company, the manufacturer of Ellis Island Tea, an all natural, antioxidant-rich hibiscus tea steeped in family tradition.  Brewed and bottled in Detroit, Nailah tapped into her Jamaican heritage to create this delicious crimson colored tea that can be found in grocery stores across the U.S.

Priscilla and Kimberly Addison are co-founders of ‘57 Chocolate, a  revolutionary artisanal chocolate made from bean to bar. Pioneered in Accra, Ghana, ‘57 Chocolate is on a mission to revive Ghana’s 1957 “can-do spirit” by adding value to the cocoa bean and cocoa farmer. A dynamic duo, Priscilla and Kimberly continue to add value to the chocolate market in Ghana and are on their way to reviving the manufacturing industry in Ghana. 

Yemi Amu is the founder and the Farm Manager at Oko Farms Aquaponics Center, an outdoor aquatic farm in Brooklyn, New York that cultivates a variety of edible freshwater fish and vegetables in a recirculating ecosystem. The largest New York City outdoor aquatic farm, Yemi’s work at Oko Farms contributes to environmental stewardship and food security for urban residents.

Adrian Lipscombe is the Executive Chef and owner of Uptowne Cafe and Bakery, a southern inspired restaurant serving dishes full of flavor from around the world with an aim to feed wholesome food to friends, family and community. 

Cybille St-Aude is a Haitian American Chef who creates “New Caribbean” food experiences that translate the history and expressions of a culture into decadent recipes. Cybille is a co-founder of EarthSeed Provisions where she oversees culinary operation and direction. Cybille is also the force behind Twa Hermanas, a pop-up collective that features talented women of color who are showcasing their heritage through food. 

Mariama Bramble is a homemaker, experience specialist and mixologist behind Brownbelle, a go-to guide for modern homemaking made simple. From delectable food and drink recipes to simple and vibrant style and decor, Mariama has a knack for creating eclectic vibes and experiences. 

Tanya Holland is the Executive Chef and owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen, where the food reflects a unique interpretation of soul food influenced by Tanya’s family history of entertaining, her formal training at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine and her love of food from around the world. Tanya is also the author of Brown Sugar Kitchen Cookbook and New Soul Cooking and formerly the host and soul food expert of television series Melting Pot.

Earlecia Gibb has been pushing mixology boundaries by transforming beverage programs at prestigious bars across the East coast. She gained national recognition by earning top-ranking placements in industry cocktail competitions and has been profiled by PUNCH, Tales of the Cocktail, SWAAY, and Edible. Beyond cocktails, Gibb has spoken on industry panels, leading critical conversations around diversity and inclusion initiatives in the industry. She was recently appointed as the North American Brand Ambassador for the iconic French Elderflower Liqueur Brand, St~Germain.

Samantha Davis is a Private chef and Partner at Field Trip Harlem, a community-based dining experience that celebrates culture through the shared experience of rice. Through her catering company, Savor by Sam, she has cooked for a variety of clients including the teams at Roc Nation,  Adidas, and The US Open. 

Paola Velez is the Executive Pastry Chef at Kith/Kin in Washington, DC, where she makes decadent creative pastries. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, Paola has worked with master chocolatier Jacques Torres and Christina Tosi of Milk Bar. Paola was also a finalist for Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington The Rammy’s Pastry Chef of the Year and is currently a semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef award. 

Pinky Cole is the owner of Slutty Vegan, a restaurant that combines superb taste with plant based ingredients and aims to dismiss the notion that vegan food is unaffordable or bland. Established in 2018 in the West End Community of Atlanta, Pinky’s restaurant provides quality vegan dishes to communities with less accessibility to wholesome plant-based foods. The restaurant soon became a national phenomenon well known for Pinky’s signature menu of plant-based burgers. 

Kess Eshun is a chef and culinary consultant whose specialty in Afro Fusion Cuisine showcases a blend of traditional and contemporary flavors bridging the gap between African and Western cuisines. She is the proprietor  of the Kess Kravings Concept which includes Jenesis Cafe, Kess Kravings- App, Kess Kravings Pop-Up - "Savor Kravings" and Kravings Spices. On a mission to rewrite and share new food stories rooted in African cuisine, Kess is among a wave of African chefs reshaping the world’s perception of African food. 

Check out the 2018 and 2019 edition of 31 Days Black Women in Food! 

Editor: N. A. Afari-Dwamena

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