Source: Josh Brasted / Getty
Traditionally, Black women have used cooking to satiate, restore and heal their people.
Food is an expression of culture and heritage- especially for Black women. It’s a love language. It can also be a vehicle for resistance and progress in the face of classism and racism.
Some visionaries and activists make their statements using paint or protests, while others use butter, garlic and onions. Whether recipes are passed down or created anew, food is the one thing that moves us as a people. Black women are at the forefront of that movement.
In time for Black Women’s History Month, meet the nine Black female chefs pushing our food traditions forward with old faves and more progressive culinary delights.
Chef Edna Lewis
1916 – 2006
Chef Edna Lewis made culinary history in many ways. She was one of the first Black women from the south to use her real name when she authored a cookbook. Known as the Grande Dame of southern cooking, Lewis changed the way America saw southern cooking, focusing on fresh, seasonal ingredients and creating elevated dishes. She was also the co-owner of Café Nicholson, a French restaurant on the East Side of Manhattan frequented by the likes of Truman Capote and Salvador Dali.
