These Chefs Utilize Jollof Rice As A Gateway To West African Cuisine
Contributor
Aug 22, 2024,01:30pm EDT
Updated Aug 22, 2024, 06:10pm EDT
Today is World Jollof Day, a day when people around the world honor the significance of the most internationally-recognized West African dish. There are endless ways to make jollof, but traditionally, it’s a rice dish that’s cooked in a base of a spiced tomato and pepper stew.
Due to the African diaspora, versions of the dish have spread throughout the world. It’s largely credited for being the initial iteration of dishes like jambalaya. With the help of a handful of chefs, the presence of West African food is increasing, albeit slowly, in cities like Los Angeles, Washington, DC and London. ‘West African’ was among OpenTable’s top trending cuisines in 2023, and two West African restaurants in London were awarded Michelin stars this year.
Depending on the country in West Africa they’re from or just how they’re feeling that day, people take pride in making their own versions of jollof. Some ingredients that chefs say are necessary to make it a jollof are scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, thyme, curry and stock. Today’s chefs are getting creative with the ways in which they are serving it. They’re determined to use jollof rice as a tool to attract new groups of people who otherwise wouldn’t know much, if anything at all, about West African cuisine.
PROMOTED
Chefs Marcus Yaw “Mando” Johnson and Abdoulaye “AB” Balde of Two Hommés
Two Hommés, the only standard West African restaurant in the Los Angeles area, is a true African-American experience. “It doesn’t mean black,” chef Mando says. He and chef AB blend their upbringing in South Los Angeles with their roots in Ghana and Senegal, respectively, for a one-of-a-kind Afro-Cali meal that comes out of the kitchen tasting home-cooked.
MORE FOR YOU
Apple iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Pro Release Date Claimed In Controversial New Report
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Thursday, August 22
Bayesian Yacht: Bodies Of Entrepreneur Michael Lynch And Morgan Stanley Chief Recovered In Italy
For people of African heritage who expect a traditional meal at Inglewood’s Two Hommés, the chefs use jollof as gateway to introduce them to the more modern takes on West African food showcased at the restaurant. At Two Hommés, most plates are deconstructed, with a hearty serving of a relatively simple jollof that they recognize, then as the chefs say, “adding cultural elements on top of that.” Lamb chops, fried catfish, berbere shrimp and chili garlic chicken are some proteins they offer alongside it, plus the fresh produce, like arugula, cauliflower and pickled onions, that Southern California is known for. All protein is also cooked to order. “That’s what California food is,” chef Mando says.
Forbes Daily: Join over 1 million Forbes Daily subscribers and get our best stories, exclusive reporting and essential analysis of the day’s news in your inbox every weekday.Sign Up
By signing up, you agree to receive this newsletter, other updates about Forbes and its affiliates’ offerings, our Terms of Service(including resolving disputes on an individual basis via arbitration), and you acknowledge our Privacy Statement. Forbes is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Conversely, for Americans who don’t know anything about West African food, the jollof acts as an approachable means to introduce them to food they may otherwise consider intimidating. “Rice is the ultimate grain,” chef Mando says. “I don’t know what country doesn’t eat rice.” That familiarity then acts as a “gateway drug,” chef Mando jokes, “to really get you in there and be like, so now what? What’s [the dish] fufu?”The video player is currently playing an ad.Skip Ad
“Jollof is based on actual history,” chef AB explains. “Slaves would put seeds, corn, rice in their hair to travel with so that when they land, they’re planting stuff that they know they can grow and live off of.” Jollof starts with “the tomato base…and you adapt. In North Carolina, they have red rice– its kind of the same thing. Spanish Rice down in Mexico, Puerto Rico. They all start with a tomato base.” Chef Mando adds, “it all started with Jollof.”
