Program / Event Details

Culinary Arts: Foodways of the African Diaspora

Explore the rich history and cultural significance of African diaspora cuisine through hands-on cooking and storytelling. This class centers on staple ingredients such as okra, rice, yams, sugar cane, and watermelon, tracing their journeys to the United States through the transatlantic slave trade and their lasting impact on American food traditions. Students examine how foods like okra and watermelon carry histories of resilience, while sugar cane shaped economies and cities like New Orleans.

Participants learn essential kitchen skills, including safe food handling, basic knife techniques, and cooking methods, while preparing dishes rooted in these traditions. One-day workshops may feature activities like crafting fresh kale salads, pickling vegetables, or pressing sugar cane for juice, while week-long residencies culminate in a student-prepared meal.

Blending culture, history, and hands-on practice, this class builds confidence in the kitchen while deepening understanding of food as a powerful expression of heritage and community.