Sharing Black Food Stories with Contributors of Cuisine Noir Magazine

Cuisine Noir Magazine editor and host Sheree Williams is joined by contributors for a lively discussion about the importance of telling Black food stories collectively and authentically.

The thought of hosting a podcast goes back over six years during a conversation between Sheree Williams and two of her contributors. Only what this podcast would be about was not defined, nor did it have a name.

Telling amazing stories that connect the African Diaspora through food, drink and travel has been paramount to Cuisine Noir Magazine, the country’s first Black culinary publication. For more than 12 years, these stories have been written, but now through Diaspora Food Stories, readers will get a chance to hear these stories as told directly by those who are the authors.

During this episode, Sheree is joined by Cuisine Noir contributors from around the world who are a part of the mission to preserve and share these stories for generations to come.  Hear about why Black food stories are important, as well as some of their favorite stories shared over the years.

“For me, the journey has been, yes you cover certain topics and so that gives people information about oh there is a winery over there, or there is a great restaurant or chef, but you go another step which I live right. You go into well, this is how we got started, this recipe was passed down and this is how we made it our own,” says veteran contributor Rekaya Gibson who is based in Virginia.

Chicago-based contributor Ashia Aubourg shares, “What I am noticing for the future of food stories, for the long time I feel like white media publications were the gatekeepers for a lot of these stories. In order to have these stories told, it had to be like a very prominent white publication telling these stories and I love to see that there are so many Black publications that are now owning and telling these stories.”

Listen to hear what more contributors say as more publications and writers of color are creating authentic narratives and amplifying Black voices in these spaces.