This is not anything new. Africans and the African diaspora and their foods have been making a mark on the world for centuries. Whether through our cooking styles and techniques, our use of spices and flavours or our produce like plantains, yams, okra, watermelon, and many others that originated on the continent. As the world becomes hyperconnected, African cuisine has a unique opportunity to promote the continent.
As we travel, we bring with us the food of our countries and use cooking traditional foods as a way of preserving the culture and heritage. Food can connect people from different backgrounds and experiences, and tell a story about who people are and where they come from to bridge nationalities, geographies and generations. So elementary yet so divinely intimate is the simple act of sharing a meal.
Many people around the world get to experience the continent by first tasting a bowl of jollof or braai meat. Experiences like this, with food as a vehicle, inspire not only curiosity but also a kind of familiarity as food is the one great unifier. What once seemed foreign can then be a welcome addition to the family’s recipe repertoire.