Events Will Explore African Culture and Cuisine
Including workshops, chef competition and cultural event at Milwaukee Athletic Club.
Blue Star Cafe. Photo by Laura Thompson.
Across 54 countries, eight climatic zones and thousands of distinct ethnic groups, Africa is united in one universal language: flavor.
From aromatic jollof rice and spicy stews to staples such as injera and fufu, the continent’s cuisine is nearly unmatched in its diversity, inviting deeper exploration that’s not often available in the Milwaukee area.
An upcoming series of hand-on workshops aims to change that, uniting local chefs and educators for eight events covering traditional recipes, food deserts, farming history and more.
The immersive sessions, including roundtable discussions, field trips, and site visits, will help participants discover how African immigrants and refugees have shaped modern American cuisine.
The series is set to culminate in a celebratory gala, fundraiser and chef’s competition on Nov. 10.
Yollande Tchouapi Deacon is spearheading the ambitious project, touted as the first of its kind in Wisconsin. The chef, a Cameroon native, is best known for Irie Zulu, a Wauwatosa restaurant — now closed — that served a rotating menu of East, South and West African dishes, as well as Jamaican cuisine.
The Harvard Business graduate now holds a leadership role at Johnson Controls while working to amplify African culture through Ubuntu MKE.
Immersive Workshops
Ubuntu MKE’s workshop series is set to begin in mid-September and continue through early November, wrapping up just before the celebratory gala.
While each session is open to the public, Wisconsin chefs are invited to participate in the full course as part of the Ubuntu Perspectives Residency. Those who do so will be included in the Flavors of Africa & Diaspora Best Chefs Wisconsin Competition, which will take place during the gala.
Workshops include History of Southern Farmers Foodways & Impact on the American Cuisine (Sept. 15); Positive Dialogue on Diversity, Inclusion, LGBTQ, Race Relations and Black History (Sept. 29); Flavors of Uganda Traditional Cuisine (Oct. 5); Building Community: Fruition MKE & Flavors of Cameroon (Oct. 13); Flavors of Ghana Traditional Cuisine (Oct. 20); Farm to Table Dinner: Beulah Farm (Oct. 26); Eradicating Inner-City Food Deserts: Storycase of Sherman Park Grocery Store/Black Holocaust Museum (Oct. 27); James Beard-Nominated, Winners, Rising Stars, Michael Twitty & Guest Chefs (Nov. 9).
A detailed description of each session, along with its panelists, schedule and location is available online. Tickets are $90 per workshop and can be purchased through the event webpage.
Best Chefs Wisconsin Competition
During the upcoming gala, a lineup of Wisconsin chefs will activate their newly acquired knowledge of African cuisine to prepare dishes that draw inspiration from the residency experience while incorporating “Afro-fusion flavors,” according to Ubuntu MKE.
A star-studded judging panel including James Beard hall-of-famer Pierre Thiam, restaurateur Edouardo Jordan, Milwaukee foodie Derek Mosley and others will rank dishes based on flavor, presentation, cultural relevance and creativity.
Prizes will be awarded in five categories: best rising star chef, best technically executed dish, peoples’ and judges’ choice, best beacon of diversity restaurant and best humanitarian chef.
Flavors of Africa and Diaspora Gala
Chefs, city leaders and food enthusiasts will gather at Milwaukee Athletic Club, 758 N. Broadway, on Nov. 10 to mark the completion of the months-long initiative while indulging in African food tastings, cultural performances, music and dancing.
Highlights of the afternoon will include catering from Irie Zulu and Afro Fusion Cuisine, the Best Chefs Wisconsin Competition, a fashion walk and a keynote speech from The Cooking Gene author Michael Twitty.
More than 40 restaurants and hospitality businesses will provide food and drink for the event. That includes Blue Star Cafe, Immy’s African Cuisine, Uppa Yard, Frankie’s, Room Service, EsterEv, Saffron and dozens of others.
The event will begin with a VIP reception from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., with general admission available from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Late party arrival runs from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tickets range in price from $150 to $600, and are available to purchase online. Proceeds from the event will benefit Pride United, Alice’s Garden, Hunger Task Force and Milwaukee African Women-Refugees.
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