When learning to cook, chef and farmer Matthew Raiford was often shown how to use spices in terms like a dash of mace and a pinch of salt. Matthew’s passion for cooking comes from the strong Black women who raised him, including his Great-Aunt Ophelia (Nana), his grandma Georgianne, his mother Effie, and his Auntie MaryLou. These family matriarchs along with the works of writers such as Jessica Harris, Edna Lewis and Ntozake Shange, ignited his thirst for understanding the connection between the origins of ingredients and the ancestral farmland he was raised on.
In Bress ‘n’ Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth-Generation Farmer, Chef Matthew explores the heritage recipes of Gullah Geechee cuisine and the story of a community brought together by food. The phrase “Bress ‘n’ Nyam,” Gullah for “Bless and Eat,” captures the essential spirit of this important cultural and culinary exploration into Gullah Geechee tradition.
Join Matthew in virtual conversation with celebrity chef and fellow Southerner Carla Hall for an evening of exploring the origins of his ancestral foodways and honoring the matriarchs who taught him to understand how the foods they cooked are the story of a people and a place.
Tickets include the option to purchase Bress n Nyam: Gullah Geechee Recipes from a Sixth-Generation Farmer *shipped to your door by Kitchen Arts & Letters in New York City. *US only
Photo by Siobhán Egan
MATTHEW RAIFORD
Matthew Raiford grew up breaking the dirt and trading crookneck squash for sweet potatoes, raising hogs and chickens, and only going to the grocery store for sundries. A chef, certified ecological horticulturalist, veteran, and owner of Gilliard Farms, Raiford was named a 2018 James Beard Award semifinalist, and has been featured in the New York Times, Southern Living, and more.
CARLA HALL
Carla Hall first won over audiences competing on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and “Top Chef: All Stars”. She co-hosted ABC’s Emmy award winning, lifestyle series “The Chew” and she is a featured host and judge on Food Network. Carla also has a weekly podcast “Say Yes with Carla Hall” and her latest cookbook, Carla Hall’s Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration, was published in 2018, making multiple "Best Cookbook" lists and receiving an NAACP Image Awards nomination.
KITCHEN ARTS & LETTERS
Kitchen Arts & Letters is a bookstore devoted to food and drink, with titles imported from around the world. They emphasize works on food culture and innovation.