Inside look at Haitian food culture with culture keepers Nadege Fleurimond and Alain Lemaire.
2024 is a monumental year for Haiti as it celebrates its 220th independence as the first Black nation to defeat the French army and liberate the enslaved African population on the island on January 1, 1804.
Haitians across the diaspora commemorated with celebrations and Haitian legacy brands produced commemorative products. Many Haitian chefs from the diaspora curated menus highlighting Haitian food culture. It reflected the joy and resilience of its people.
Despite the political turmoil following the assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïses on July 7, 2021, the beleaguered interim government rallied to stabilize the nation. While the rest of the international community came to their own conclusions of Haiti as a failed state, the Haitian diaspora stood in collective shock and resilience. Like clockwork, the media outlets reinforced their limited views of Haiti with sensationalized headlines.
Others may be reminded of the smear campaign that unfolded during the U.S. presidential elections that planted Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, in the center of racist rumors involving local area pets going missing for untoward purposes. Those claims proved to be false, but the damage was done.
For a moment, it appeared the clamor of disinformation was so loud that many believed the rumors. Many questioned what Haitian people ate and their religious practices. Celebrities from all industries made their voices heard in defense of the Haitian community via social media and called for mainstream media to challenge the damaging narratives perpetrated.
What Chefs Have to Say About Haitian Food Culture
Food is political, and chefs who champion their culture’s cuisine are catalysts for shaping the food culture of the communities they inhabit. Haiti is culturally rich in many ways. Haitian food culture is steeped in preserving tradition and recipes passed down through generations.
I spoke with renowned culinary innovator Nadege Fleurimond and chef Alain Lemaire to get an insider’s look at Haitian food culture. Fleurimond is a cookbook author, caterer and restaurateur in New York. She owns Bunnan in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood.
Chef Lemaire is an international chef, TV host, caterer and owner of Sensory Delights in Florida, where he teaches curious gourmands about culinary techniques and Haitian food culture through his brand “Ou Manje Deja?” which in Haitian Creole translates to “Have you eaten?” He has also appeared on the Food Network and is the host of “Luda Can’t Cook” on Disney Plus.
When discussing what Haitian food culture represents Lemaire shares, “It means everything to me, because it is the essence of who I am, what I represent, and my heritage. Haitian culture is vibrant, full of stories and history.”
By Margo Gabriel
