Dynast Amir eating Jollof Rice and Pepper Soup In Abuja, Nigeria

African Food Isn’t the Problem. Your Perception of It Is.

I’ve noticed something interesting over the years.

Many people will travel halfway across the world to eat food they can’t pronounce, but the moment that food comes from Africa, suddenly everyone becomes a food critic.

Suddenly everybody has standards.

Suddenly everybody has concerns.

Suddenly everybody’s stomach becomes sensitive.

Interesting.

When I eat snail in Nigeria, people look at me like I’ve completely lost my mind.

“That’s nasty.”

“That’s disgusting.”

“That’s bushmeat.”

But take that same snail.

Put it on a white plate.

Serve it in Paris.

Call it escargot.

Now it’s sophisticated.

Now it’s high fashion.

Now it’s a delicacy.

The snail didn’t change.

The passport did.

African Food Has a Branding Problem

Let’s be honest.

African food doesn’t have a cuisine problem.

It has a perception problem.

For some reason we’ve collectively decided that French cuisine is elegant.

Italian cuisine is romantic.

Thai food is adventurous.

Indian food is flavorful.

Japanese food is refined.

But African food?

People treat it like a dare.

And honestly, that’s ridiculous.

Because Africa is home to some of the best cuisine on the planet.

Not my opinion.

Well actually it is my opinion.

And I’m standing on it.

We’ll Eat Street Food Everywhere Except Africa

This is where the conversation gets funny.

Some people will complain about street food in Africa.

The suya in Nigeria.

The tofi in Ghana.

The grilled fish in Sierra Leone.

The roadside vendors in Senegal.

Suddenly everyone becomes concerned about hygiene.

Meanwhile those same people are standing on the streets of Mexico eating lengua tacos and pastor tacos from a cart that’s been there since sunrise.

No complaints.

No hesitation.

No TED Talk about sanitation.

Just vibes.

Apparently street food only becomes dangerous when Africans are making it.

Bushmeat? Let’s Talk About It

One of my favorite critiques is when people dismiss African food as “bushmeat.”

Okay.

And?

Growing up in America, I’ve seen people eat bear.

Rabbit.

Possum.

Raccoon.

Gopher turtle.

Wild hog.

Deer.

And somehow that’s normal.

But somebody eats agouti in Côte d’Ivoire and suddenly we’ve crossed a moral boundary?

Let’s be serious.

Every culture has foods that outsiders find unusual.

The difference is that some cuisines get cultural respect and others get cultural stereotypes.

The Best Way to Understand a People Is Through Their Food

One thing we emphasize at Danfo is eating local cuisine.

Not because it’s trendy.

Because it’s necessary.

Food tells stories.

Food explains history.

Food reflects migration.

Food reflects trade.

Food reflects geography.

You cannot fully understand Senegal without tasting thieboudienne.

You cannot understand Nigeria without experiencing suya.

You cannot understand Sierra Leone without cassava leaves.

You cannot understand Ethiopia without injera.

Food is one of the most direct pathways into culture.

Before you write African cuisine off, at least give it a chance.

Get yourself a bowl of jollof rice.

Try some cassava leaves.

Order the egusi soup.

Grab some pounded yam.

Have a bowl of groundnut stew.

Eat maafe in Senegal.

Try cheb yap.

Sit down and actually experience the food before allowing stereotypes to make the decision for you.

Some of these dishes represent generations of culinary knowledge, trade routes, family traditions, and cultural history. The same way people romanticize pasta in Italy, tacos in Mexico, curry in India, or pho in Vietnam, African cuisines deserve the same curiosity and respect.

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

In my opinion, Senegalese cuisine is the best in Africa.

Haitian cuisine is a close second.

And yes, I know somebody is already preparing an angry paragraph about jollof rice.

That’s fine.

We can debate that later.

The bigger point is this:

Have an open mind.

Have an open palate.

Stop allowing stereotypes to determine what you’re willing to experience.

Some of the greatest meals I’ve ever had weren’t served in luxury restaurants.

They were served on plastic chairs.

At local restaurants.

Surrounded by local people.

That’s where the culture is.

That’s where the stories are.

And that’s where Africa reveals itself.

And if you’d like to experience Africa through its food, culture, and communities, that’s exactly what we focus on at Danfo.

Visit Danfo.Africa to learn more.