Hello Meltingpot Readers,
I just wrote a story for TheGrio.com on rising culinary star, Nilton Borges, Jr. He’s an Afro-Brazilian (which I know can be viewed as redundant) who is making his mark as the executive chef at Amali Restaurant in New York City. Amali is a Mediteranean restaurant, specializing in seasonal, local fare.
I really enjoyed talking to Borges because his ‘son of a Black doctor in Brazil with pressure to follow in his father’s footsteps, to restaurant worker in the United States’ story was fascinating. And familiar. Borges said he had two hurdles to being accepted in fine dining kitchens here in the US, being Black and an immigrant. Please check out the story and leave a comment if you feel so inclined.
And speaking of Black chefs. Did everybody pick up their copy of Marcus Samuelsson’s new memoir, Yes, Chef. Finally, we hear the details to his amazing life story from Ethiopia to Sweden to New York City and back again. Samuelsson says his whole life has been about ‘chasing flavors.’ Sometimes I feel the same way.
Case in point, for my mother’s birthday, I prepared a dinner that brought together all of the flavors of my past; Moroccan chicken, rice salad with avocado and oranges, green beans with toasted almonds and a banana pudding with ‘Nilla wafers for dessert. Kinky Gazpacho all the way.
Where would you have to go to chase the flavors of your past?
I’m listening.
Peace!
Peace!
