In this dynamic episode of Dishin’ Up Diaspora, I sit down with the trailblazing Fariyal Abdullahi—James Beard Award nominated chef, creative, philanthropist, and one of the very few Black women at the helm of some of the most high-profile kitchens in the industry.

Fariyal’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Born in Ethiopia, she shares how her immigrant experience shaped her resilience and hunger for more. We talk about how she initially pursued a degree in psychology to meet family expectations, only to later pivot and fully embrace her passion for food and hospitality. That bold leap not only transformed her life, but also positioned her as a powerful force in the culinary world—one that refuses to be boxed into a single title.

You’ve seen her as a guest judge on major cooking shows and featured in magazines like Vogue and Food & Wine, but today, Fariyal opens up in a way we rarely get to see. From the pressure of being a woman of color in high-end kitchens to the liberation that comes from defining yourself on your own terms, this conversation dives deep into what it truly means to lead with authenticity.

We explore:

• The unspoken challenges and triumphs of being an immigrant in hospitality
• How family expectations shaped (and delayed) her culinary path
• Finding the courage to pivot from psychology to the kitchen
• The weight and pride of being one of the few Black women at the top
• Why she rejects being “just” a chef—and how creativity, storytelling, and service fuel her mission
• Her philanthropic work and how she’s using her platform for impact
• How she centers wellness and self-care in an industry that glorifies burnout
• The daily rituals that keep her grounded amidst chaos
• Redefining success as a woman, as an immigrant, and as a leader

This episode is a celebration of multidimensionality—a reminder that we don’t have to choose one path, one label, or one identity. Fariyal’s story is proof that when you dare to do what’s true to you, even in an industry that rarely makes space for that kind of truth, the doors will open.

Whether you’re an aspiring chef, a fellow immigrant, or someone figuring out how to follow your passion while honoring your roots—this one’s for you.
Tune in now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share if you’re moved by this conversation.

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In this powerful solo episode of Dishin’ Up Diaspora, Chef Emme takes you on a deep and flavorful journey into the sacred world of Candomblé, the Afro-Brazilian religion where food is a divine offering—not just nourishment. This episode explores how Bahian cuisine, African spirituality, and ancestral resilience intersect in powerful, soul-stirring ways.

Rooted in West African spiritual traditions and shaped by centuries of resistance and adaptation, Candomblé is more than a religion—it’s a living archive of cultural survival. Emme breaks down how each orixá (deity) has specific foods and rituals associated with them, and how those offerings serve as acts of reverence, communication, and empowerment. Learn how ingredients like dendê oil, black-eyed peas, and banana leaves carry deep spiritual meaning and connect present-day Bahians to their African ancestors.

Through stories of sacred dishes like abará, moqueca, vatapá, and caruru, Emme illustrates how Friday meals in Bahia—often meatless and rich with ritual—reflect a complex spiritual practice that blends Catholicism, African traditional religion, and Indigenous beliefs. From honoring Oxalá with white foods to preparing spicy abará for Iansã, each dish becomes a vehicle for prayer, protection, and remembrance.

This episode invites you to rethink how you experience food—not just as sustenance, but as ceremony, memory, and resistance. Whether you're familiar with Afro-Brazilian religious practices, or just beginning to explore the spiritual dimensions of food, this episode offers insight, reverence, and connection.

✨ You’ll Learn About:

• The roots and resilience of Candomblé in Brazil
• The role of food as a sacred offering in Afro-diasporic religions
• Why Bahian dishes like moqueca and abará are spiritually significant
• The symbolism of dendê (red palm oil) in Afro-Brazilian rituals
• How Friday traditions in Bahia reflect deep spiritual syncretism

Whether you’re a chef, a cultural explorer, a spiritual seeker, or part of the African diaspora, this episode will deepen your understanding of how food sustains not just the body—but the soul.

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In this episode I sit down with Danielle and Gabrielle Davenport — the sister duo behind BEM Books & More, a groundbreaking Black-owned bookstore that celebrates the intersection of Black food, literature, and diaspora stories.

We dive deep into how their family’s food traditions and storytelling shaped the vision for BEM — a space dedicated to cookbooks by Black authors, memoirs, historical texts, and fiction that honor Black culinary history and the richness of diasporic voices. Danielle and Gabrielle share how growing up in a home where food and identity were inseparable sparked their mission to amplify stories from across the African diaspora through books and community.

They take us behind the scenes of building BEM from scratch — recognizing the need for a bookstore centered on Black food literature, launching as a pop-up, rallying support through fundraising, and now preparing to open their first brick-and-mortar location. Along the way, they drop insights on entrepreneurship, community-building, and why making space for Black diaspora stories is essential for preserving culture and inspiring future generations.

If you care about food, culture, literature, or Black entrepreneurship, this conversation shows how storytelling feeds both mind and spirit — on the plate and on the page.

Tune in to hear how Danielle and Gabrielle are creating a home for Black food stories, nurturing a community, and reimagining what a Black-owned bookstore can be today.

Follow BEM on Instagram @BEMbrooklyn

Follow us on Instagram @dishinupdiasporapodcast @chefemme_