National Soul Food Month #24

On June 11, Les Dames d’ Escoffier-Chicago and It’s Food Biz!™ hosted the exclusive Chicago area screening of the Emmy-nominated documentary “Finding Edna Lewis,” at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts in Chicago. Following the screening, film Executive Producer Deb Freeman, Stephanie Hart, owner of Brown Sugar Bakery, and Chef Cliff Rome, of Rome’s Joy Companies and BAMJoy shared their insights on Lewis’ legacy on a panel, moderated by Charla L. Draper, Founder National Soul Food Month. The evening program closed with a reception of Edna Lewis inspired foods catered by Chef Dominique Leach of Lexington Betty Smokehouse. A portion of proceeds from the program will benefit scholarships of two non-profits, the Edna Lewis Foundation and Les Dames d’ Escoffier-Chicago.

- -“Thank you for sharing how our culture lives through cuisine.” - Rahkia Nance.

Left to right: Chef Cliff Rome, Charla L. Draper, Deb Freeman and Stephanie Hart.

National Soul Food Month celebrates the heritage and history of foods and foodways of African Americans and peoples from the African diaspora. The culinary contributions of this group have had an indelible impact on the American menu.

Food is culture and the culture of African Americans is woven into the fabric of the American menu. From the innumerable folks whose creativity, skills and mother wit led to industry changing industrial innovations such as Norbert Rillieux, Edmond Albius, or Frederick McKinley Jones; media personalities like Lena Richards, the first Black woman to host her own television cooking show or Lucille B. Smith who created the first hot roll biscuit mix. The list of those who contributed to this American cuisine is long and in June we will shine a light the legacy of Chef Edna Lewis, an early champion of Southern cookery. Lewis helped educate and mentor generations of chefs and food enthusiasts, while celebrating the African American culinary community and culture

How It Started

Food expert, writer and HistoryMaker®… Charla L. Draper realized traditional soul foods were foods that deserved celebration and needed to be celebrated. So, in 2001, Draper christened June National Soul Food Month. National Soul Food Month appeared for the first time in that year's Chases’ Annual Calendar of Events. The entry in Chases’ Calendar reads:

National Soul Food Month, June 1-30 is a month to recognize, convey and celebrate the heritage and history of the foods and foodways of African Americans and peoples from the African diaspora. The culinary contributions of this group have had an indelible impact on the American menu and on mainstream American life and culture.

From Charla:
My appetite and interest in food was nurtured in a family of great cooks— both of my grandmothers had skills. Our house was always filled with the aroma of good cooking–soul foods, and scratch baking of the buttery, moist melt in your mouth pound cake created by Mom’s mother Gonga. Dad’s mother —Big Mama honed her skills in Shreveport, Louisiana and her menus included seafood gumbo, braised rabbit, and pear preserves. All of these foods were essential in creating our family food legacy.