Given traditional gender roles that relegated women to the kitchen, and the historic role of black women as caregivers, nurturers, and cooks, it’s no wonder that the pendulum has swung so far in the opposite direction given the rise of feminism. According to The Guardian, restaurant kitchens around the U.S. are dominated by male chefs. Men are also commanding the television and celebrity chef scene. Slowly but surely though, women are coming back for their crown.
Renowned chefs such as Tiffany Derry and Carla Hall are building empires around their passion for food, but today we want to recognize five up-and-coming black female food entrepreneurs who are out here creating their own lanes.
1.Chef Ahki
Chef Akhi comes from four generations of holistic healers who use fresh, seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables to enhance the lives of others. With such a rich legacy, it’s no wonder the Oklahoma native is quickly rising as a go-to health food guru. A natural foods activist and nutritional counselor, the Delicious Indigenous Foods CEO believes in non-hybrid and electric foods as a way of life.
2. Demetra Overtun
Knowing how to throw down in the kitchen is one thing, but being able to translate that skill to others is something totally different. Demetra Overtun, chef and creator of Sweet Savant is a master of both. When she’s not instructing classes, doing product and recipe testing, or facilitating cooking demonstrations, the highly sought-after personal chef is whipping up custom meals for her clients spanning from Georgia to South Carolina.
3. Chef Oya
One scroll through her Instagram page, and it’s clear that Chef Oya does not play. Her commitment to “restoring food access to the people” is the inspiration behind the success of her Indianapolis seafood restaurant, The Trap. With her catchy urban branding and the launch of her successful Trap Buttah brand of special sauces, Chef Oya’s clientele can’t get enough of her #DeliciouslyDope seafood. We look forward to great things to come from this rising star.
4. Tanorria Askew
A self-proclaimed graduate of the “Culinary Institute of my Parents & Grandparents,” Tanorria Askew’s passion for cooking is deeply embedded. Through her home catering service, the personal chef and founder of Tanorria’s Table provides her clients with homemade restaurant quality cuisine, ready-to-eat freezer to oven meals, and a host of signature recipes featured on her blog. No matter what she’s cooking, every meal at Tanorria’s Table is served with love.
5. Eden Hagos
Eden Hagos is quickly becoming a top influencer and curator of the black millennial foodie experience around the world. Her blog, Black Foodie, spotlights African, Caribbean and Southern U.S. cuisines and food cultures. With her fresh take on international cuisine, Hagos is definitely one to watch.
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