Diaspora Food Stories

The Global Food and Drink Initiative
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Food
  • Updated Semiweekly

The Diaspora Food Stories podcast explores the stories behind the creators from the African Diaspora, furthering the mission of The Global Food and Drink Initiative to connect Black people through food, drink, and travel. Listeners will enjoy conversations that go deep into the history and origins of our foods and how they have shaped cultures, communities, and the world. In addition, Diaspora Food Stories is the first food podcast to offer these stories in the native tongue of our guests, thereby adding another important element to the preservation of our food and drink stories; the language in which they are introduced.

  1. 16h ago

    Kenyan World Explorer and Travel Coach Maria Kamau

    Maria Kamau, also known as Mkay, is a Kenyan ICF-certified travel coach, travel writer and bodacious adventurer who has travelled to 100 countries and all 47 counties of Kenya. Sao Tome and Principe became her 100th country after a 37-year international travel journey that began with a school trip to Germany in 1989. Her achievement is not a story of diplomatic access or large sponsorships. Only about 15 of her country visits were connected to official work; most were self-funded through long-term saving, budgeting and deliberate financial choices. Travelling with an ordinary Kenyan passport has also meant navigating demanding visa applications, higher costs, extensive documentation and occasional immigration scrutiny. Maria now uses Travel with Mkay to help people, particularly women and African travellers, approach travel with courage and practical preparation.  LISTEN AND CONNECT  Website Instagram and Facebook Diaspora Food Stories is produced by The Global Food and Drink Initiative, a 501c3 nonprofit. Together with your generous donation we can continue to preserve the oral history and culture of Black food and drink stories both in English and other languages spoken throughout the African diaspora. To donate, visit globalforgood.org. Website: Diaspora Food Stories Watch episodes on YouTube

  2. 17h ago ·  Bonus

    You Might Enjoy: On Purpose with Jay Shetty

    Introducing COLLIN GOSSELIN: The Real Story Behind One of America’s Most-Watched Families from On Purpose with Jay Shetty. Follow the show: On Purpose with Jay Shetty Collin Gosselin opens up about what it was really like growing up in the spotlight of Jon & Kate Plus 8, sharing his personal account of life behind the camera. He recounts his experiences with family isolation, allegations of physical abuse, time spent in a basement room, and his twenty-month stay in an institution he says he never needed to be in. Collin also details how a smuggled note led to a reunion with his father, how he is working to rebuild his life today, and why he is finally choosing to speak publicly about his past. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty Instagram Teen Accounts: Built-in protections for teens. Learn More. At https://chase.com/sapphirereserve JAY'S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here: https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast What We Discuss: 00:00 Welcome To On Purpose And Disclaimer 01:43 Inside the Gosselin Household 03:50 Faking Reality On Camera 05:15 The Normalization Of Constant Filming 06:35 The Turning Point 09:06 Modern Child Exploitation 12:35 Pushing Back And Early On-Camera Resistance 17:02 Earliest Memories Of In-Home Abuse 20:37 Targeted Isolation And Homeschooling 25:21 Child Protective System Flaws 35:11 Advocacy In The Face Of Public Backlash 36:55 The Attempted Runaway 44:03 Institutionalization At Age 11 48:16 Twenty Months In Inpatient Confinement 53:53 The Official Admission Records 59:12 The Harsh Reality of Living in Isolation 01:04:45 The Smuggled Letter And Custody Battle 01:08:37 Reconnecting And Healing 01:11:26 Repairing The Father-Son Relationship 01:14:00 Turning Pain into Purpose 01:17:14 False Diagnoses & His Dream of Joining The Marines 01:24:41 Legal Defamation Threats 01:26:16 Where Does He Stand With His Siblings? 01:30:20 Who is Collin Today? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

    You Might Enjoy: On Purpose with Jay Shetty

  3. Jul 29

    Nigerian Author and Food Explorer Ozoz Sokoh

    Ozoz Sokoh is an award-winning food explorer, educator and budding curator who began journaling about food on her blog, Kitchen Butterfly, in 2009.  Her research and documentation explore the roots of Nigerian and West African cuisine, the impact of West African intellectual contributions to global development from the American South, through the Caribbean to Europe and Latin America, and the connection to the Afro diaspora. She released her first cookbook, "Chop Chop: Cooking the Food of Nigeria," in 2025 which celebrates the vibrant, diverse world of Nigerian cuisine, featuring dishes like spiced beef suya, rich egusi soup, jollof rice, puff puff, and hibiscus drinks.  In this episode, the Nigerian native and Canadian resident shares how one recipe started her journey of food documention and the importance of ensuring Nigerian recipes and traditions always have a safe place to be passed down to future generations. Listen and Connect Website Instagram   Diaspora Food Stories is produced by The Global Food and Drink Initiative, a 501c3 nonprofit. Together with your generous donation we can continue to preserve the oral history and culture of Black food and drink stories both in English and other languages spoken throughout the African diaspora. To donate, visit globalforgood.org. Website: Diaspora Food Stories Watch episodes on YouTube

  4. Jul 2

    Réunionese Food Content Creator Jennie Léonie

    We're heading back to the beautiful island of La Réunion for this conversation with food content creator Jennie Léonie. Located in the Indian Ocean, La Réunion is a small island known for its warmth and dedication to preserving Creole culture and history. Jennie grew up in a family that shaped her strong connection to the island's culinary culture. On her Instagram page and YouTube channel, she shares easy, accessible recipes designed for active women in La Réunion, helping them bring their cultural identity into everyday cooking through small, creative twists. Her approach highlights modern, practical cooking that stays rooted in Réunionese ingredients and heritage, while documenting food experiences across the island, the Indian Ocean, and beyond. If you are looking to learn more about what make this island so special and a must-visit, you'll want to listen to this episode. Listen and Connect YouTube Instagram Related Articles from Cuisine Noir Réunion Island Celebrates Creole Gastronomy With Its First Creole Food Festival Creole Chefs Gather in Reunion Island For First-Ever Food Festival Honoring Legacy and Traditions Diaspora Food Stories is produced by The Global Food and Drink Initiative, a 501c3 nonprofit. Together with your generous donation we can continue to preserve the oral history and culture of Black food and drink stories both in English and other languages spoken throughout the African diaspora. To donate, visit globalforgood.org. Website: Diaspora Food Stories Episode Sponsor Hayti

  5. Jun 11

    Restaurateur and Innovator Chef Russell Jackson - Part 2

    We're back for part 2 as we follow Chef Russell Jackson from California to New York and the opening of his first restaurant Reverence NYC, which he closed in February 2025. However, as a chef who knows how to innovate, he is on to his next projects, Unity Market and Reverence Phoenix, which are set to open in New York's iconic Central Park on June 20.  Check out the second part of our conversation and if you haven't listen to part 1, you'll want to do so because it is just as good. You can also follow his work on social media and support his projects with a donation. LISTEN AND CONNECT Website Instagram

  6. May 28

    Restaurateur and Innovator Chef Russell Jackson

    NYC-based chef Russell Jackson doesn't do things like others when it comes to his work and how he looks at food.  The industry veteran of 49 years has worked in some of the best restaurants from West to East and also developed his own concepts in between to present food the way he feels it should be; in its simplest form, yet delicious. We're talking with him in this 2-part series that starts in California and ends with the soon to be opening of Unity Market and Reverence Phoenix in New York's iconic Central Park on June 20. Along with sharing his story, he is sharing his vision for the next chapter of his impressive culinary career.  Enjoy part 1 and then come (June 10) as we release part 2.  You can also follow his work on social media and support his upcoming projects with a donation. LISTEN AND CONNECT Website Instagram

  7. Apr 30

    International Creole Food Festival Founder Jean-Charles Bertrand

    (As part of our work to present food cultures of the African diaspora through language, this episode is available in French only. However, you can read about the upcoming The Sommet & Festival International des Chefs Créoles in Reunion on Cuisine Noir). Ceci est un épisode spécial du podcast de Diaspora Food Stories en Français avec l'animatrice invitée Madalena Pedro Miala en conversation avec Jean-Charles Bertrand, restaurateur et fondateur du Sommet & Festival International des Chefs Créoles, le premier festival culinaire créole de la Réunion qui aura lieu entre le 22 mai – 24 mai. La Réunion est peut-être une nouvelle destination pour beaucoup, mais elle a une histoire vaste et puissante qui prendra le devant de la scène grâce à la nourriture dans moins d'un mois.  Au cours de cet épisode, Jean-Charles partage ce qui fait de la Réunion une île à découvrir et explorer, ainsi que comment la diversité de ses habitants a non seulement façonné la culture, mais aussi la façon dont la nourriture porte l'histoire et les traditions, en particulier la cuisine créole. Avec des chefs venant d'Europe, des Caraïbes et d'autres régions intermédiaires, Jean-Charles nous présente les points forts de l'événement qui ajouteront et feront monter la Réunion sur votre liste de voyage. Écouter et se connecter Site web Instagram Article connexe de Cuisine Noir Reunion Island Creole Gastronomy With Its First Creole Food Festival

  8. Apr 15

    Cultural Curator, Filmmaker and Author Zella Palmer

    Zella Palmer, is an author, professor, filmmaker, curator, scholar and the Chair and Director of the Dillard University Ray Charles Program in African-American Material Culture in New Orleans, Louisiana. Palmer is committed to documenting and preserving the legacy African American, Creole, Indigenous and LatinX culinary history. As the Chair of the Dillard University Ray Charles Program, Palmer filmed and produced the Story of New Orleans Creole Cooking: The Black Hand in the Pot documentary.  In 2020, under Palmer's leadership, Dillard University launched a Food Studies Minor at Dillard University. Her latest publications, Recipes and Remembrances of Fair Dillard: 1869-2019 (University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press) and James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalist (U.S. Foodways) Ed Mitchell's Barbeque (Harper Collins, June 2023) shares some of her rich research and she released her latest documentary Grenada to the World in August 2025.  Zella is extending her legacy through her work advising higher education institutions, museums, and tourism ministries on integrating artificial intelligence while safeguarding culture, memory, and human meaning. In alignment with her professional work, she is also studying to become an herbal physician, answering a deeply ancestral calling. LISTEN AND CONNECT Website Instagram (Zella) Instagram (Dillard)

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

The Diaspora Food Stories podcast explores the stories behind the creators from the African Diaspora, furthering the mission of The Global Food and Drink Initiative to connect Black people through food, drink, and travel. Listeners will enjoy conversations that go deep into the history and origins of our foods and how they have shaped cultures, communities, and the world. In addition, Diaspora Food Stories is the first food podcast to offer these stories in the native tongue of our guests, thereby adding another important element to the preservation of our food and drink stories; the language in which they are introduced.

Information

  • Creator
    The Global Food and Drink Initiative
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2022
  • Show Website
    Diaspora Food Stories