Some travelers check the weather before a trip. Food lovers check what people eat there. A port gets more exciting when you know it might hold a market filled with unfamiliar spices, a beloved local dish, or a bottle worth packing. For travelers who happily organize a day around a memorable meal, small-ship cruises unlock […]

Sometimes, what we fall in love with as children stays in our hearts for a lifetime. For the Muslim founder of a Baltimore bakery, cheesecake became a passion before she was old enough to use an oven. “When I was six, anytime we went out to eat I wanted cheesecake for dessert. Somewhere we used […]

Great seafood can turn an ordinary dinner at home into the kind of meal that deserves good plates, a beautiful table, and a favorite bottle of wine. You don’t need a restaurant kitchen or professional culinary training to achieve impressive results with fish and shellfish. Instead, success comes from choosing quality seafood, respecting each ingredient, […]

James Beard-nominated pastry chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph is a rare talent in the culinary world—thanks to an innate skill for balancing flavors that’s part of his DNA. “I conduct myself as a chef that has the ability to go sweet or savory, and I think that’s what makes me special and different from most,” admits the […]

The appetizers are the first food guests get to enjoy at the reception! Whether you’re planning for your own wedding or helping someone with a reception or cocktail hour, the right wedding appetizers can keep guests satisfied before the main meal. Some appetizers bring a little elegance to the menu, while others give guests a […]

Justin Ellen, the bright, sunny baker and content creator behind the popular social media brand Everything Just Baked, is lighting up the dessert world yet again with his debut cookbook “Better Than Grandma’s: Comfort Desserts We Grew Up Loving.” At just 23, the cake artist has built a massive following across platforms, cheerfully sharing the […]

Love white wine, but tired of sipping on the same sauvignon blanc and pinot grigio? There are plenty of underrated white wines out there, so you don’t have to default to the same bottle every time. Some lean bright and mineral, while others bring ripe fruit or a fuller texture. You can find bottles that […]

South African viewers tuning in to The Home Channel, almost 8,000 miles away from the U.S., are discovering double the fun and flavor on a new cooking show. “Twice as Nice – With Love from the Twins” premiered in July, introducing South African chefs Tebo and Lebo Ndala to a wider audience. “Viewer reaction has […]

Fresh, homegrown ingredients make almost any meal taste better, assuming the plants producing them are healthy enough to deliver good flavor. Growing herbs at home may look easy, but weak sunlight or poor watering habits can leave you with thin stems and disappointing leaves. If you want to make sure you grow only the best-of-the-best […]

When Mengistu Koilor’s brother Richard Koilor casually mentioned homebrewing beer as a hobby, he couldn’t have imagined what would unfold. Now, eight years later, the brothers went from homebrewing to building and opening Two Locals Brewing Co., the first Black-owned brewery in the state of Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia. Developing a Black-Owned Beer Brand From […]

If you’re an avid home cook, you need high-quality tools for smoother prep and better control at the cutting board. This includes high quality kitchen knives. But what makes a knife a good knife? Here are the qualities to look for the next time you’re adding a new knife to your kitchen. Blade Steel That […]

Soup lovers across America have graduated from the instant ramen and cup of noodles they enjoyed as children or college students. Today, many of them prefer to dine at ramen noodle restaurants found in their cities and towns. In New York City, one of the most sought-after bowls is served at Ramen by Ra for […]

Growing up on the East Coast, I never had to look far for Caribbean culture: a Trinidadian eatery serving doubles, a Jamaican restaurant down the street pouring the best sorrel, or a Puerto Rican shop with pastelitos ready at the takeout window. As a Haitian American, I learned to connect with my roots through food, […]

Milk grades are labeled officially as Grade A and Grade B. What’s the actual difference between them? Does the milk grade you use in cooking change how a dish turns out? Here’s what you need to know before you pick up your next carton from the store. What’s Grade A Milk? Grade A milk is […]

The sunshine that pours through the skylight and big windows of the Welton Street Cafe’s new home is an uplifting sign of survival. The Dickersons’ 40-year history of serving soul food in Denver with a side of comfort lives on in the Five Points neighborhood through the family’s grit and courage. “We’re homegrown here, and […]

A cinematic tribute to the Brooklyn-born ritual that is now a national food phenomenon. Every ritual starts with a simple act. For Mike’s Hot Honey, it started with a drizzle on a slice of pizza in Brooklyn. Now, the brand that transformed a finishing touch into a national obsession is bringing that story to life […]

What’s the best way to provide a population with healthy foods? In Chicago’s Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood, igniting a passion with its young people for urban agriculture is key. The Gary Comer Youth Center (GCYC), a community mainstay for the past 20 years, has been providing sustainable and nutritious fruits and vegetables via its successful […]

When two professional food experts flew in from the United States to spend time in Ghana this June, they did not come to teach. They came to learn. That is the story of Plate2Plate, and it is a uniquely Ghanaian story of cultural reverence. The fellowship is run by Crescendo Foods, the Accra-based kitchen incubator […]

Last year, when I spoke with Nigerian chef and culinary director, Gbolabo “Chef Gibbs” Adebakin, he was preparing to prove that Nigerian cuisine deserved a larger place on the global culinary stage with the Nigeria Food Summit taking place July 21 and July 22 in Lagos. The Summit brings together chefs, producers, researchers, entrepreneurs, and […]

What would entice a top chef to leave his kitchen to tackle the unpredictability of a shift behind the bar? For acclaimed Dominican American chef/restaurateur Nelson German, it came down to being short staffed on a busy Friday night. “It was a business owner having to do what you got to do,” German recalls about […]

Sunday dinners and holiday feasts bring the people we love around one table. For many of us with roots across the African diaspora, food sits at the center of every celebration. But anyone who has hosted a full house knows that there are challenges that come with it. For example, if your oven runs for […]

Outdoor grilling creates a sensory experience that elevates simple meals into memorable occasions through heat, aroma, texture, and environment. The process uses open flame and controlled heat to transform raw ingredients into flavorful dishes that feel rich and satisfying. Families and friends gather around grills, where anticipation and aroma combine to create a strong connection […]

Before Simon Adde became known for serving authentic French crepes across Los Angeles, he spent nearly a decade building a professional boxing career that began almost by accident. The journey from the boxing ring to the crepe griddle was far from straightforward, but today that unlikely combination lives on in the name of his business, […]

A summer picnic can feel like a small celebration of culture, care, and good taste. Whether the setting is a city park, a backyard, a botanical garden, a beach, or even on a boat, the best picnic menus invite people to linger, laugh, pass plates, pour something cold, and enjoy food that travels well without […]

For Rickey Booker, Sr., the CEO of Breakfast Brothers, making meals for family and friends is something he enjoys. “I cook at home and a big Thanksgiving feast every year for my friends and family. I have favorite dishes that people would call and ask me to cook for them. It [cooking] just comes natural […]

When life pushes you in a new direction, the path taken next can lead to unexpected heights. Civil war violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo forced a mother to flee to Belgium with her two children. Limitations on opportunities contributed to the decision Maria-José De Frias made to move her family from Belgium to […]

Mars Inc. and AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate is proud to announce that Marcus P. Smith, a historian and interpreter at The Du Bois Freedom Center in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, is the 2026 History Tellers Award winner. He will receive $15,000 as well as promotional support for himself and his institution. Mars Inc. and AMERICAN HERITAGE Chocolate is […]

Great cooking is rarely built from one impressive recipe. It grows through repeated practice with dishes that teach timing, texture, seasoning, heat, and restraint. These staple dishes that give home chefs foundational cooking skills help cooks move beyond instructions and develop instincts they can trust. A confident home chef can travel, dine widely, taste something […]

Dr. Nocola Williams is a retired educator whose 31-year career spanned elementary classrooms, where she taught all subjects. Coming from a long line of educators, Dr. Williams has always viewed learning as a family tradition. This mindset led her, her husband, their two adult children, and her mother to start their own backyard homestead. “We […]

Cooking with more than one person can make dinner faster and more enjoyable. However, it can also turn a kitchen into a crowded space full of elbows, open drawers, hot pans, and crossed paths. A home kitchen that supports multiple cooks needs more than extra counter space. You’ll also need the right appliances to keep […]

Before the bags are unpacked and before the travel stories begin, there is often one question waiting at the door: “Did you eat?” For many families, that question is more than polite hospitality. It is a form of care. It says, “You made it.” It says, “We were expecting you.” It also explains why the […]

Family cookouts have a language all their own. Music spills from the speakers, smoke rises from the grill, cousins run through the yard, and somebody’s uncle is standing watch over the ribs like he signed a contract. A Black family cookout is about more than food. It is fellowship, memory, culture, and connection served with […]

When people picture a Euro summer, they usually think Ibiza beach clubs, French wine vineyards, and Positano’s postcard-worthy coastlines. For the Black diaspora, the season starts somewhere else: Afro Nation Portugal. Set to return in the Algarve from July 3–5, this year’s sold-out festival will welcome nearly 40,000 attendees each day. What began in 2019 […]

The highly anticipated opening of the Obama Presidential Center has finally come on this Juneteenth holiday. Located on the South Side of Chicago in historic Jackson Park, visitors exploring the center’s museum and 19.3 acre campus will have the opportunity to engage with the story of President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama […]

Beyond sustenance, food is a vehicle for history, identity, healing and belonging. Yet the contributions of Black women across the diaspora have often been overlooked, despite their role as innovators, preservers, and architects of culinary traditions that have shaped communities around the world. Ten years ago, public health nutritionist and communications strategist Tambra Stevenson set out […]

There are many ways to be a father, and whether it’s by blood or by love, being a great one is rooted in care, wisdom, devotion, and the special bond shared with the children they cherish. As we celebrate Father’s Day this year, consider honoring the special men in your life with a recipe that […]

In Hobart, Tasmania — an island south of mainland Australia — Toni Burnett-Rands prepares Juneteenth in the middle of winter. Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, marks the day enslaved people in Texas finally learned they were free. Juneteenth is usually associated with summer heat, barbecue smoke, and family gatherings across the American South. But in […]

There’s nothing like a good fish fry! Dancing, playing cards, telling stories and crunching into perfectly seasoned pieces of fried fish with all the sauces and sides. “Though we are really into crabs here in Maryland, I don’t think I ever met a piece of fried fish that I didn’t want to eat,” laughs Tiara […]

You can use the same bowl, the same spoon, the same flour, and the same recipe card, and somehow the dough still feels different than it did last time. One day, it comes together without much thought. Another day, it clings to your fingers, cracks at the edges, or seems to ask for more patience […]

The quest to find her place and passion led a young Black business major back to the state where she attended college. Keyarna Frederick was unsure how she would make a living when she left West Virginia State University in 2019. Today, she is recognized as the first Black female chef to bring a Juneteenth holiday […]

National Soul Food Month® will celebrate its milestone 25th Anniversary throughout June 2026 with a series of cultural, culinary and educational events honoring the rich history, traditions and influence of soul food in America. Founded in 2001, National Soul Food Month recognizes and celebrates the heritage and history of the foods and foodways of African Americans and peoples […]

From ideation to actualization, husband-and-wife duo chefs Cybille St. Aude-Tate and Omar Tate have always wanted Honeysuckle to be rooted in the idea that Black food should be celebrated, that it’s not a monolith, and that the magic and folklore of the Black experience should be explored, preserved, and reimagined. Now with one year under […]

Soursop has no problem attracting attention. From the soft, curved spikes of its green skin and its creamy sweet-tangy taste to the various names it goes by, the oblong-shaped soursop fruit entices us to unravel its culinary mysteries and benefits. But in order to do that, we first have to find out where it came […]

Crocodile. The first time I ate one, no crocodile tears were shed for the carnivorous critter impaled on a Maasai sword skewer and carried by two servers to our table. The large reptile had been skinned and slow-roasted, rotated over coals. The chunks of crocodile meat sliced onto my plate were pleasantly charred; the meat […]

Over the years, Cuisine Noir has covered the journey of Kara Still and Carmen Dianne, co-founders of Prosperity Market, and their mission to make healthy food accessibility easier within communities. In 2021, the duo launched their all-Black farmers market in response to the COVID-19 pandemic after seeing a lack of grocery options and fresh produce […]

With a mission to bring African gin and spirits to every back bar in the world, long-time friends and business partners, Damola Timeyin and Chris Frederick, are using their collective experience in branding, advertising, finance, and the food and beverage industry to put their portfolio of spirits on the map. With a special focus on […]

Every May, Antigua and Barbuda draws the Caribbean diaspora’s most accomplished culinary talent to its shores for Antigua and Barbuda Culinary Month, and since its 2023 launch, the event has built its standing as one of the region’s premier food celebrations. Hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Tourism Authority, the monthlong slate of events includes […]

When shopping for honey in stores, you’ve noticed some bottles hold crystal-clear golden honey, while others look hazy. Why is that? You may wonder if the cloudy honey is going bad, or if it means something got mixed into the jar. The answer is more interesting and worth knowing than you’d think! Both clear and […]

For soul singer LeVelle, great music and good food are two things that have blessed his life. While one has afforded him a successful livelihood the other almost cost him that career. “What good is it being great when you’re out of breath and you can’t hit your notes because you’re out of shape,” muses […]

A kitchen stands as more than a place for meal preparation, as it reflects heritage, identity, and shared experience within every household. Traditional food carries stories and techniques that pass through generations, yet modern demands often challenge space and efficiency. Many home cooks seek ways to preserve authenticity while reducing effort, and thoughtful kitchen upgrade […]