About
The Black Kitchen Initiative exists to celebrate, uplift, and preserve the legacy of Black food by breaking down the barriers that keep Black voices and cooking out of the American culinary pantheon. The initiative began in 2020, with the support of our partners at the LEE Initiative and Southern Restaurants for Racial Justice (SRRJ), and seeks to connect Black restaurateurs to tangible resources that support the long-term health of their establishments. Black cuisine, culture, and businesses have made an indelible mark on the best parts of America; we hope that the Black Kitchen Initiative plays a small role in uplifting and showcasing that vibrant legacy.
Listen to season two of the Black Kitchen Series - out now.
Open Kitchen
Heinz Open Kitchen is a dynamic platform empowering our Black Kitchen Initiative grantees to reach new heights in the culinary world.
This special ongoing dinner event series offers rising chefs the opportunity to take the reins in high-profile kitchens and gives them the chance to cook for new people in a new city.
Through this event, we seek to help these chefs grow their clientele and gain exposure to help their culinary businesses and goals to thrive and flourish.
Our first stop will be in Harlem on December 6th 2023, with our grantees, Joy Crump and Beth Black from Foode + Mercantile in Fredericksburg, VA, taking over Marcus Samuelsson’s restaurant, Red Rooster!
Your ticket to this event will include a full-course dinner and specialty cocktails.
The Black Kitchen Series: Innovators
ABOUT THE BLACK KITCHEN SERIES: INNOVATORS
Season 2 of The Black Kitchen Series: Innovators brings us all over the country as we attempt to find the chefs, farmers, healers, artists, organizers, historians, writers, and other brilliant Black innovators changing the face of food as we know it. Hosted by Jade Verette (@JadeOfAllJades), we interview 11 guests across 6 episodes, and cover topics like Black veganism, farming as a tool for liberation, the planet-saving powers of an underrated West African grain, and so much more. This season is expansive, exciting and a whole lotta fun. New episodes on Tuesdays, starting April 18th. ㅤ The Black Kitchen Series: Innovators was created by Heinz and Wieden+Kennedy, and produced by the Mayda Creative Co. Follow us on Instagram at @HeinzBKI and check out Heinz.com/BlackKitchen for more.
