Cook, Paint and More! Learn the ‘Art of Fufu’ at Pop-Ups Hosted by Houston-Based Nigerian Chef

Cook, Paint and More! Learn the ‘Art of Fufu’ at Pop-Ups Hosted by Houston-Based Nigerian Chef

Chef Kavachi Ulegbu

READY TO COOK, paint, sip and eat? Houston-based Nigerian chef Kavachi Ukegbu is spreading her culture during Black History Month with her signature Art of FuFu Cookbook Experiences. The Art of Fufu is an outreach event designed to spread awareness of the rich heritage of West African cuisine.

What started as a one-off event spearheaded by Ukegbu’s parent company Grubido in 2017 has become a cultural movement, with food and beverage tastings, art shows, and cooking classes. Ukegbu has hosted pop-ups at the Houston Public Library, Central Market, art galleries, and Texas Southern University. The Art of FuFu event has even been reimagined as a cookbook, which can be purchased at Central Market, Whole Foods, Soa Co Book Store and Amazon.

Fufu itself is a popular, filling side dish made from cassava root and green plantains; the passion project dubbed Art of Fufu was born to create more dialogues around West African cuisine.“We truly believe that a West African ingredient staple like fufu deserves recognition on a global scale,” states Ukegbu. “It represents a rich culture that evokes feelings of simple pleasures passed on from generation to generation.”

This month, those wishing to learn more about African roots can enjoy a cooking class on Thursday, Feb. 23, followed by a paint-and-sip party on Friday, Feb. 24. To close out the weekend, Saturday, Feb. 25, there will be a full five-course dining experience on offer.

Each event will be curated by Ukegbu and will be hosted in one of Houston’s artsy, urban-influenced neighborhoods including the Third Ward, Southwest Houston, and the Heights. The events are presented in partnership with Big Brother & Big Sister and the Black-female-owned book store Soa Co.

Click here for more information or to purchase your tickets.

Food
Leadership in Action: John Kuykendall Traded Newcaster Dream for Success in Luxury Retail

John Kuykendall, Showroom Manager, Sub-Zero, Wolf and Cove

How did you get to where you are today? Growing up I had envisioned myself as a news anchor, living in NY and enthusiastically saying into the camera “Good Morning America!”. To this day, I am still a news/political junkie. My mother owned fur salons so specialty retail, luxury retail was in my blood through the family business. Eventually, mom shuttered the stores and I was recruited to a large specialty retailer. Over the next 30 years, I was in commissioned sales on the sales floor, became a department manager, worked my way up to buyer and store manager. Although I never became a newscaster, I did live in NYC for a few years. But Texas is home and with aging grandparents, I felt the pull to come back to my roots. A headhunter approached me. I never envisioned myself in the high-end appliance market, but there are so many similarities. Clients want a memorable experience; whether shopping for diamonds and fur or remodeling their kitchen.

Keep Reading Show less

Kendall and Susan Plank, Noel Wise, Anna Osborn, Michelle Koskie

MORE THAN 140 lovely ladies showed up at Tootsies to shop, sip and celebrate Dec My Room, the local nonprofit responsible for personalizing and decorating hospital rooms for pediatric and young-adult patients.

Keep Reading Show less
Food

Salted Coconut Latik Ice Cream Sandwich at Lil' Koffeteria

THERE'S SOME INTERESTING news coming out of The Quad at Britmoore, the adaptive, mixed-use development fashioned of repurposed industrial warehouses in Spring Branch near Memorial.

Keep Reading Show less