On Feb. 20, the first-floor stations of the Dining Community Commons (DCC) were transformed to celebrate Black History Month (BHM). Chefs Perketa Richardson and Clinton Moore led the “BHM Chef Spotlights” with the help of Chefs Nathikah Best and Tom Ramsey.
Chef Spotlights, which were introduced in the fall semester of 2024, occur on a roughly monthly basis. The program was initially launched to engage with and uplift chefs outside of the Swarthmore community, but it eventually became a way to highlight the talents of those already working at Swarthmore.
In the past, DCC Executive Chef Tom Ramsey led the BHM Spotlights alone. This year, Chefs Richardson, Moore, and Best joined Ramsey in the organizing process.
“I wanted to incorporate more of our actual team, because we have some really, really talented folks,” Ramsey said. “I just want the student population to realize how much talent we have when we feed students.”
For Chef Moore, the BHM Spotlights paid “homage to his ancestors” and represented his family’s Southern lineage.
The menu encompassed elements of Black diasporic cuisine from all over the world. Mac and Cheese, collard greens, oxtail pizza, blackberry cobbler, and Callaloo were among the offerings.
Chef Best was most enthusiastic about her Callaloo, a Trinidadian dish that consists of taro leaves and vegetables cooked in coconut oil and milk, created by enslaved Africans from “undesirable” crops. For Best, being able to represent Caribbean history as a Caribbean woman made the experience meaningful. While discussing the menu, she emphasized the significance of highlighting “dishes that were brought by our ancestors to the Caribbean from West Africa.” The food scraps left for enslaved Africans — “or, simply put, ‘peasant food’” — was then transformed into a “constant reminder that we are resilient no matter the setbacks.”
Chef Richardson saw the event as an opportunity to reflect the “culture, upbringing, and the traditions that have been passed down through generations.” She was most proud of her fried chicken wings and collard greens, both of which remind her of her late grandmother.
Chef Moore echoed that sentiment, saying, “Overall I wanted the Black folks to feel elated and leave the dining hall having a full belly from food cooked with love and soul.”
Samara Diggs ’29 was also enthusiastic about the food and history uplifted during the event.
“I loved the BHM lunch because you could tell how much effort and care went into the food. Seeing the chefs excited about sharing Black culture through food made me appreciate just being a part of it and the history and stories behind it.”
On Sunday, March 29, Chef Nathikah will showcase Trinidadian Easter food. The last Chef Spotlight of the semester will be led by Chefs Jadaya Hayden & Finneson Luu on Friday, April 24.
