Yams and Sweet Potatoes: A Black Culinary Series

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L’integre Burkinabe

Les Délices de Awa founder and chef Awa Sibi.

Madison's palate has undeniably become more global over the past few decades. Highlighting the contributions of Black cooks from all over the world is the aim of this series sponsored by the Office of Equity and Inclusion and the Community Engagement Office at Madison College. Fittingly called “Yams and Sweet Potatoes,” the series of talks, demos and tastings kicks off on Feb. 10 with local chef Awa Sibi of Les Délices de Awa, who comes from Africa's Côte d’Ivoire; she aims to convey the “entire range and diversity of Ivorian culture through its bold and delicious flavors.” Sessions on Feb. 16 with Nyanyika Banda (noon, Madison College-Truax) and Feb. 23 with Patience Clark (noon, Madison College-South campus) follow; find tickets for those presentations here. A keynote by Jessica Harris, author of High on the Hog, takes place at 6 p.m., Feb. 17, at the Mitby Theater; tickets here.

press release: The Yams and Sweet Potatoes: Black Culinary series includes demonstrations, tastings, and presentations to celebrate Black cuisine that has influenced America and the world. This is brought to you by the Office of Equity and Inclusion and the Community Engagement Office at Madison College.

Join us as we highlight different foods and palates with local chef Awa of Les Delices de Awa (5:30 pm, Feb. 10, Salvation Army, 3030 Darbo Drive), Nyanyika Banda (noon, Feb. 16, Madison College demo kitchen), and Chef Patience Clark of Palate Pleasures (noon, Feb. 23, Goodman South Campus). These experiences will lead us to a beautiful evening with Jessica Harris, author of High on the Hog on Feb. 17, 2022.

Nyanyika Banda is a Malawian-American chef, writer and entrepreneur. Banda lived in Madison as a teenager and began her culinary career at the age of 15 working at a Black owned Rotisserie chicken restaurant there. She then went on to earn a Culinary Degree from Madison College in 2012. While attending Madison College she competed and placed in multiple American Culinary Federation competitions. Upon graduation Banda relocated to New York City to become a sous chef at Mission Chinese Food. She has worked in a number of acclaimed kitchens across the country including WD-50 and the Saveur Magazine test kitchen.

Awa Sibi arrived in Madison from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in 2013 to pursue her education, following her brothers to Wisconsin. Trained as a lawyer in Côte d’Ivoire, her son’s health issues and her need to be present for him led her to found her business. Awa learned to cook by mimicking her mother in the kitchen at age 10 and has never stopped evolving in the kitchen. Her business, Les Délices de Awa, is driven by the values of integrity and authenticity in presenting Ivorian and West African culture and food traditions to her adopted country. Awa’s mission is as an interpreter of the entire range and diversity of Ivorian culture through its bold and delicious flavors. Cooking is her passion as well as her livelihood.

Chef Patience Clark is a self-taught chef, and has been cooking comfort cuisine for the last 7 years under training from her great-grandmother Louise Dunlap. She attended Madison College's Culinary Program, where she found her love for food history. She specializes in historical and traditional comfort dishes from around the world. As a Personal Chef and Caterer, she is dedicated to creating an adventurous experience for her clients, through food.