Navigating the culinary world can be challenging, especially for women in an industry often dominated by men. However, chefs like Fariyal Abdullahi and Kristi Brown are making a name for themselves by showcasing their cultural roots through food.
Abdullahi is a James Beard finalist, guest judge on Food Network shows Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay and executive chef at Hav & Mar in New York.
“For me, cooking is a celebration of seasonal ingredients told through the lens of the Ethiopian diaspora,” she says. “My food is 100% influenced by the flavors I grew up eating in Ethiopia. Even though I went to culinary school and learned classical French cuisine as the foundation of my cooking and often lean on those techniques, the flavor profiles I build always lead back to my Ethiopian roots.”
Brown, who began her journey at 13, has redefined her love for hospitality with culinary collective That Brown Girl Cooks! and owns Communion Restaurant & Bar in Seattle. Her mantra, “Everybody’s Gotta Eat!” emphasizes culinary activism and her passion for traditional American cuisine.
“Culture is woven into everything I do,” says Brown. “My food is deeply inspired by music, art, and the spiritual beliefs I was raised on. With a keen focus on honoring our ancestors, the goal is to create food that reflects the people who have shaped my life and community.”
In Brown’s home, fried chicken and mashed potatoes were a staple dish that never failed to disappoint. “My mom had a knack for creating a crispy crust that was out of this world. The time she took marinating and frying the chicken and steaming the milk and butter for the potatoes showed me that good food takes time,” she says.
As a chef, she’s taken this timeless dinner combination to new heights by merging it with her love of music. Her contemporary take on the dish, The Luther Vandross, was inspired by the legendary singer’s love of fried chicken dinners and her mother’s delicious meal. “He’s one of my favorite artists, and I wanted to make a version with a healthier approach to it,” Brown shares.
The Luther Vandross has the traditional elements of a fried chicken dinner—the crispy skin, juicy seasoned chicken, and potatoes—with a healthier twist. Instead of a heavy plate of meat and potatoes, the chicken is placed atop mixed greens and dressed with roasted yam and red potatoes. “Roasting the yams makes a buttery addition to the potato salad, and adding capers instead of pickles gives it a nice piquant saltiness,” she says. “Then to finish things off, we added a jerk-flavored ranch to cool your palate from the spiciness of the chicken.”
For Abdullahi, it’s the subtle tweaks that make all the difference. Ethiopian food is becoming more popular. She says showcasing the dishes with modern, colorful plating styles has been key for guests experiencing the distinctive fare for the first time. “I often say that my grandmother may not recognize the dishes by sight, but she will know exactly what she’s eating upon taste,” she says. Doro Wat, a rich chicken and egg stew, is the national dish of Ethiopia. For her modern take, Abdullahi has turned the dish into a wrap.
The deep flavors of the traditional dish are still there, though. “I never want to water down our history and culture to appease someone’s palate, so I don’t budge on the flavors that have made the dish a beloved classic,” Abdullahi says. “Storytelling is essential for passing on our history and traditions. For most Africans, our stories have been told through the voice of visitors and not our own. Sticking to the roots of our culture and continuing to share those stories through food ensures they’re genuine.”
Experience these meaningful dishes for yourself by trying the recipes below.
The Luther Vandross
SALAD
3/4 oz mixed greens
8 oz cherry tomatoes, small diced
1 each pickled onions, julienned
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
RANCH
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon jerk paste (Walkerswood)
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 tablespoon parsley
JERK RANCH BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN
8 oz chicken thighs, trimmed
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Frank’s Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon Seez’
1 teaspoon Johnny’s
1 cup AP Flour
Fry Oil
YAM & POTATO SALAD
1# red potatoes (medium dice)
1 each yams (whole)
1/4 cup celery diced (small diced)
1/4 cup red onion (small diced)
2 ea boiled eggs (Crumbled)
1 teaspoon Johnny’s
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon capers
2 teaspoons black pepper
Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, jerk paste, parsley, buttermilk, and lime juice.
SALAD: Dice bell peppers, peel and slice blood oranges, and set aside until ready to serve. Place mixed greens in a serving bowl and set aside. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices, stir, and bring to a boil. Pour over cut onions and immediately cover with plastic wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature.
ROASTED YAM & RED POTATO SALAD: Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees. Roast yam whole in the oven for 45 min or until completely done – stick a fork in it. Let cool. Boil the potatoes in salted water until just tender to the fork. strain and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine mayo, dijon, onions, celery, capers, Johnny’s, and black pepper (keep caper vinegar, just in case you desire/need more of a vinegar kick). Take the skin off the yams, squeeze yams into other ingredients and mix well. Last, lightly fold in the crumbled eggs and boiled potatoes.
FRIED CHICKEN:
Trim extra fat off chicken. Season chicken with Seez/Johnny’s then mix buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl. Frank’s is our preferred hot sauce. Place chicken into the buttermilk mixture, mix to coat the chicken and soak for 2-4 hours or overnight. In a separate deep dish or go old school with a brown paper bag, mix together AP Flour, Seez’ and Johnnys for dredging. Make sure to mix dry ingredients well! Place a rack into a baking sheet. After letting the chicken marinate, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, pressing to ensure that the chicken is evenly coated and the flour is adhering securely. Transfer the chicken to the sheet with a rack. In a deep skillet, heat about an inch of oil to 350°F. Set another rack over a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Fry the chicken in batches, maintaining the oil temperature at 315°F; turn once, until golden and an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of each piece registers 160°F, 15 to 18 minutes.
Doro Wat
4 boneless chicken thighs
2 lbs. 4 oz. large red onions, finely minced
1 2/3 oz. garlic cloves, minced
2/3 oz. 2inch ginger, minced
1/4 cup berbere
1/3 cup butter
4 eggs, 7-minute soft boiled
Salt, to taste
Process the onions in a Robot Coupe or food processor. Heat a saucepan over medium-low heat and saute the onions, stirring often until caramelized deep brown (about 5 hours). Be sure to keep adding water so the pot doesn’t stick. Blend the garlic and ginger into a paste, then add to the onions. Cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add butter and berbere and cook for 5 minutes more. Add the chicken with 1 cup of water and cook covered for about 30 minutes until the chicken is done. Add in the 7 minutes boiled egg.