Mission:
Roots Cuisine is dedicated to the promoting the foodways and related culture of people of African descent around the globe. Through compiling and making available print and electronic resources, building global networks of chefs, home cooks, scholars, writers, journalists and other interested parties who actively participate in defining and shaping, the foodways of African Diaspora either through vocational interest or direct cultural connection, Roots Cuisine will document, and by extension, teach about the diverse cuisines of African Diaspora and out of necessity African, Indigenous, and European foodways that left their indelible marks upon them.
In this way the site is not your traditional “food blog.” You will find articles, photos, and recipes were appropriate, but we are most interested in educating, sharing, and of course learning. We hope you will keep this in mind as you explore Roots Cuisine. And please, let us know what you think.
About Rachel Finn, Roots Cuisine’s Founder:
I am a writer, food historian, and a member of the global African Diaspora, I started Roots Cuisine because I wanted to contribute something and pay homage to a group of cuisines, cultures, and people who have shaped the world through their struggles, subjugation, triumphs, and of course through common regional and continental links in Africa.
I started my career as a freelance writer in 2005 in Paris, with my discovery of Algerian pastries. The seductive melange of almonds, honey and orange flower water led to an essay on Algerian pastries that was published in Gastronomica and to a couple of new obsessions, one for pastries themselves and one for writing…about food in particular. It lead me to begin examining the ties among food and culture of the northern Africa, the Arab world and the Caribbean. Soon those interests expanded and I began to focus on ties and the broader influence of regional Africa throughout the global African Diaspora.
Since then, then I have been published in newspapers, magazines, and online and Roots Cuisine has seen me take on new roles as museum exhibit designer, publisher (the upcoming Redbone Journal), and public speaker as the recipient of a 2010 U.S. State Department Speaker’s grant, which took me to Turkey to speak about Louisiana and African-American foodways.
Roots Cuisine is available to partner on diverse and unique projects related to the food and culture of the global African Diaspora. We develop informative thought provoking, and creative Diaspora-related resources and can help with creating materials and programming such as reference tools, museum exhibits, photo essays, and articles. While we would love to spread what we know and love freely, we are a self-sustaining organization so, we do seek compensation for projects, collaborations, and articles.
Contact us today to discuss details and to get started with programming or research tools for your institution or community.
