Ghetto Gastro's Debut Book ‘Black Power Kitchen' Serves Up Culinary Empowerment

Over the past decade, Ghetto Gastro has shaken the culinary industry by combining homegrown food culture and the art of cooking with culture as a platform to speak about food insecurity, inequity and other important topics. Now, the New York-based chef collective will encapsulate their journey and spark conversations in their first-ever book.

Their debut book, Black Power Kitchen (Artisan Books) is set for a global release on October 18, commemorating the anniversary of the group’s inception. The book acts as a cookbook as well as the group’s manifesto. While honoring Black culture and elevating the word “ghetto,” Black Power Kitchen hopes to open conversations about inclusion, race, and other difficult topics. Food represents nourishment, as well as advancement, and acts as a bridge to talk about these issues. It also aims to show how access to food and knowing how to cook is a privilege that can lead to one’s own empowerment and personal freedom.

The chef collective (Jon Gray, Pierre Serrao, and Lester Walker) aims to celebrate the Bronx as one of the cultural hubs of the world. Ghetto Gastro’s core values revolve around ending food inequality and increasing food security, especially amongst underrepresented and marginalized communities. With that, they hope to bring quality food to impoverished people and places. Through their cookbook, they’ve merged great food and cooking with thought-provoking ideas and culture, including fashion, art, design, and music.

According to the press release, Black Power Kitchen was written with James Beard Award winner Osayi Endolyn. It consists of 75 recipes, most of which are plant-based, as well as diverse voices and stories from those in the food, design, and art industries. The conversations in the book touch on resistance, rebellion, culture, history, and more. The book also features over 150 captivating color photographs that combine food with art and design.

The collective has its own line of kitchen appliances and cookware sold in Target and Williams Sonoma respectively. They have also collaborated with Wolfgang Puck for the Oscar’s Governors Ball and worked with Coachella, Spotify, BottleRock Napa, and more.

Black Power Kitchen is available for preorder now.