Since the launch of the Year of Return in 2019, Ghana has become an increasingly attractive destination for Black Diaspora visitors seeking to reconnect with their ancestral roots.
Among the unique initiatives fostering this connection is Plate2Plate, a culinary residency hosted by Ghanaian non-profit Crescendo Foods. The program recently concluded with an intimate capstone event on Monday, June 30, 2025.
Over several weeks, Black chefs and food professionals from across the Diaspora gathered in Accra to participate in a cultural and culinary exchange.
The residency emphasised connection, collaboration, and the importance of African foodways as tools for innovation and climate resilience.
At the final showcase, each participant presented a dish that reflected their personal journey and Ghanaian immersion, drawing on techniques, ingredients, and traditions they encountered throughout the program.
One of the standout participants was Dr. Porché Spence, a soil scientist and professor at North Carolina A&T State University, who integrates food systems into her environmental research on water and soil health. Reflecting on her experience, Dr. Spence said:
“Crescendo’s virtual program was incredibly impactful. It gave a prelude to our in-person residency, teaching us about Ghana’s culture, food, and language. Before arriving, the online experience pushed me to go beyond Western portrayals of Africa. I wish I could have come sooner.”
Dr Spence also brought her teenage daughter, Laylah, on her first international trip to Africa.
“I wanted her to know where we come from and experience the true history firsthand,” she said. “It’s been a blessing watching her embrace the culture, keep her own journal, and build her list of Ghanaian experiences.”
Positioned at the heart of the Beyond the Return initiative by the Ghana Tourism Authority, Plate2Plate provided Black culinarians with the opportunity to deeply engage with African food systems and entrepreneurial culture.
The event underscored the role of food as a powerful connector — bridging continents, generations, and histories — while reinforcing Ghana’s status as a growing hub for Pan-African creativity and collaboration.
"The solutions to our global food crisis aren't waiting to be invented, they're waiting to be recognized,” said Dr. Wanida Lewis, CEO of Crescendo Foods. “To face climate change, we must embrace the resilient food systems that Africa has always known. Plate2Plate is more than a culinary exchange — we don’t aim to teach, we aim to learn. Each cohort becomes part of a living legacy, building bridges between ancestral wisdom and modern innovation.”
For Ghanaian audiences, the residency affirmed the value of local knowledge and cross-cultural dialogue. For Diasporan food professionals, it extended an open invitation: to return home, not just as visitors, but as collaborators shaping the future of African food and culture.
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