Founder of Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen and author of Zoe's Ghana Kitchen: An Introduction to New African Cuisine – From Ghana With Love, chef Zoe Adjonyoh traveled to the U.S. from the U.K. to raise awareness of and appreciation toward African cuisines, reports Cuisine Noir.
“America loves an independent thinker and an independent voice. I was allowed to show up as my authentic self in every part of what I do in my writing, cooking, collaborations, and partnerships,” Adjonyoh told the magazine.
The chef moved to the U.S. with her American work and life partner, Sara Held, who heads product development, and collaborations and partnerships.
“We are an interracial couple with an interracial food influence. We put all of that together when we cook and create a menu. It‘s a vehicle for us to cook together, have fun and be equal in it,” Adjonyoh explained.
The chef began her career in food. While receiving a master’s degree in creative writing, she earned extra money cooking and serving peanut butter stew from a food stall, eventually deciding that her real passion rested with cooking for people, and educating them about African foods she grew up eating.
“Before I knew it, I was traveling between Berlin and London doing catering, pop-ups, and events,” she said, describing the turn her life took after her culinary start. “I was trying to make space for conversations about what West African food is. I was making space to celebrate the ingredients. I was making space for people to try that food.”
Adjonyoh wants her work through her cookbooks and cooking to show people unfamiliar with Africa the full scope of the diversity of cuisines from the continent populated by billions of people across 54 countries. Full Story
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Image: Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen