A Celebration and Signing: AfriCali by Kiano Moju
Join us for a conversation with Kiano Moju and Abena Anim-Somuah in celebration of Moju's debut cookbook, AfriCali: Recipes from My Jikoni!
Kiano, an author, recipe developer, producer, director, and video host, was born to a Kenyan mother and a Nigerian father and grew up in California. In AfriCali, she brings those influences together to create delicious, unique meals with unfussy and flavor-packed recipes.
On September 10, Kiano will be in conversation with Abena Anim-Somuah, James Beard Award-winning writer, podcaster, and entrepreneur. We’re thrilled to be hosting these two fabulous food people at Rue Dix Brooklyn in Crown Heights for a night of discussion about how flavors move between and within cultures and so much more!
Please note, doors will open at 6:30pm where you can mingle and enjoy passed bites. The conversation will begin promptly at 7pm.
What's included with your Standard ticket
a personalized signed copy of AfriCali
passed bites inspired by the book & wine from our friends at Oona Wine
What's included with your Grand Fête ticket
everything included in the Standard ticket PLUS a West African family-style meal at Café Rue Dix
Keep the festivities flowing at our Grand Fête dinner following the book talk. You'll head next door to Rue Dix's restaurant for a special edition of their family-style West African feast, this time hosted by Kiano and Abena.
More about the book
AfriCali: Recipes From My Jikoni showcases Kiano’s way of cooking, all of which is inspired by her global travels, time spent growing up in California, and what’s currently in her kitchen (jikoni means kitchen in Swahili). Kiano’s recipes provide a glimpse into her kitchen, with twists on cherished family recipes and new creations that combine flavors from across Africa with California classics, all while embracing culinary innovation, accessible and easy-to-find ingredients, and the celebration of multicultural foods. Kiano invites readers to discover AfriCali cuisine, which intentionally builds new flavors while pulling from tradition and experience.
More about the participants
Kiano Moju was born in Oakland, California, to a Maasai-Kenyan mother and Nigerian father. Inspired by a love for chemistry inherited from her father, a biochemist, Kiano found herself drawn to her mother’s side in the kitchen, intrigued by the science of cooking and the culture that surrounds it. In late 2019, she launched her own full-service production company, Jikoni Studios, which has produced cooking videos & commercials for industry giants such as Food Network, Tastemade and many more. Kiano also founded the non-profit organization Jikoni Recipe Archive, which documents the legacy of African and Black cooks while amplifying and celebrating their vibrant food cultures. It is a culinary beacon for African and Black cuisine that curates the resources to amplify these food identities while preserving them for generations to come. Through her work, and with the release of AfriCali, Kiano carves out space in food media for underrepresented voices and cultures, challenging existing norms and championing inclusivity.
Abena Anim-Somuah is a James-Beard award-winning entrepreneur, writer, and podcast host. She is also the Founder of The Eden Place, a company whose mission is to use food to harness community. Abena is also the host of The Future of Food is You, a Cherry Bombe Podcast Network show where she interviews emerging talent in the food world. Additionally, Abena writes her newsletter, Your Friend in Food, where she shares her musings on all things culinary.
About BEM | books & more
BEM | books & more is a literary destination at the intersection of food and Blackness. Established by two sisters in January 2021 as an online bookstore, BEM is proud to serve as a home for readers, writers, cooks, and eaters passionate about Black cultures in all their diversity. Taking an expansive approach to the nexus of food, literature, and culture, BEM celebrates Black food by bringing works of fiction, nonfiction and poetry for readers of all ages into conversation with cookbooks and culinary studies to explore how what feeds us defines us.
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