The flavors of the African Diaspora are wide-ranging, touching every corner of the globe. This Thanksgiving, we were welcomed into the homes and one restaurant of four Black chefs in Los Angeles, who introduced us to their families and friends and shared the dishes that define celebrations year after year.
Their recipes and traditions are vastly different. Bridgetown Roti chef-owner Rashida Holmes makes a crispy-creamy macaroni pie that pays homage to her Bajan heritage. Lamb biriyani and collard greens sauteed with ginger and garlic are pulled from cookbook author Kiano Moju’s “AfriCali” and honor the culinary history of Kenya and the Swahili Coast. For dessert, John Cleveland shares his family’s holiday cookie, also offered on the menu at his South L.A. restaurant Post & Beam, and culinary artist Nia Lee bakes a carrot cake that celebrates the legacy of LGBTQ+ activist Marsha P. Johnson.
Every chef has their own concept of Thanksgiving and what it means to them, yet all are centered in an approach that feels uplifting to everyone who sits at their tables.
Make any of the recipes below for a soul-warming holiday.
