New dining event launches in Edmonton aimed at amplifying Black-owned businesses

A new week-long culinary event in Edmonton is inviting diners to try dishes from a diverse range of Black-owned businesses.

Feed the Soul Dining Week launched Friday, with 18 businesses creating custom menus and specials to celebrate Black culture and the impacts Black Canadians have had on the food scene.

"I think our biggest goal is to introduce Edmonton and our community here to the various restaurants that they necessarily don't know about," said Sara Awatta, co-founder of the event.

Similar to Downtown Dining Week or Chinatown Dining Week, participating businesses will offer special menus and deals over the week. Some participants will join with takeout options only and other venues, like the Glass Bookshop, are swapping out menus for a store discount.

It was inspired by the Netflix special High on the Hog, which explores African American culinary history and how the Black community has changed food in the United States.

"We're translating that to here to Canada and looking for the impact of Afro-Canadians on the food scene and amplifying their voices here," Awatta said.

Many people may not realize the variety in foods from the African diaspora in Edmonton, she added, and this event aims to change that.

"There is definitely a bias in terms of what is Black food and what is Caribbean food and what is African food," she added. "What we're hoping to do is remove this bias and introduce Edmontonians to the wonderful flavours [and] wonderful people that run these restaurants."

'IT MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME'

Brian Curry is the owner of the new PhatBar Bakery and Cafe in Old Strathcona. He said joining the event made sense considering his business's grand opening is on Saturday.

"Opening during Black History Month is really important for me," Curry said. "And being able to find like-minded individuals in the Black community that love food and love connection and all of us getting together to really promote the Black food culinary scene – I mean it couldn't have worked any better."

PhatBar is a 90's-themed dessert bar. Unlike many cafe's, it's open late at night and cookies and pies can be paired with beer and wine.

For Feed the Soul Dining Week, the bakery will be offering a $15 plate of two kinds of cornbread and a slice of sweet potato pie, a popular American dish Curry said Edmontonians may not be familiar with.

The food industry is a difficult one and joining the event has connected him with allies in the Black culinary community, he said, and launching his business during the dining event has drummed up a lot of excitement for the grand opening.

"It means everything to me, being able to have people that can help promote the business while we're just starting," Curry added. "I hope that this event can continue on every year and we can bring in more Black businesses.

"And I hope this acts as a kind of motivator for other people, especially in the Black community."

'WE'RE HERE TO STAY'

Jennifer Robertson, owner of Sauce Modern Caribbean Cuisine, is from St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean. She said she strives to showcase authentic traditional food from her whole home region and guests can expect to see dishes from St. Vincent, Trinidad, Barbados and more.

"The majority of the Caribbean restaurants are mostly focused on Jamaican cuisine, so we want to showcase all the Caribbean," she said.

For the dining week, Robertson has created a menu featuring codfish cakes with tamarind, stew chicken with macaroni pie and green beans and a cocktail for $45. On Feb. 15 a special daily feature will be on for $60, with the cocktail and codfish cake joining oxtail for the main.

She said the event is testament to the success of Black-owned restaurants in Edmonton, and she hopes it inspires other people to bring their own authentic cooking styles and cuisines to the growing food scene.

"It says that we're now showing a presence, there's not just one or two restaurants," Robertson said. "It really shows the growth of Black-owned restaurants in Edmonton and that we're here to stay and hopefully people see the culture that we all love and grew up with."

Feed the Soul Dining Week runs until Feb. 17. A full listing of participating restaurants, specials and daily features can be found on the event's website or on Instagram.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach