the POP UP dinners | Meet SUSAN SENESIE

Susan Senesie | The Culinary Queen | Freetown, Sierra Leone

The first time i met Susan  i was mesmerized by her hair, another sister who loved it 'big' and bold. Her petite frame is accentuated by an infectious smile with an undeniable talent to create and present beautiful Sierra Leonean dishes.  On our first meeting, w had a heart to heart where she expressed that she was happy to be back home especially when it meant that she could become even more creative in her kitchen with African dishes, in this case, Sierra Leonean staples. I was amused and skeptical, how does one make 'kasda leaves' appealing to a more mainstream market and people from diverse backgrounds, after all West African dishes are known to be difficult to make and digest. Susan just smiled, "its possible, i am doing it". In my own immediate excitement i called it gourmet salone dishes. It was not misnamed. There is attention in each dish. 

SISTAS WITH VOICES | THE PRACTICE

 

 

 

The longer i am back home the more I am 'getting it'. My heart is steadying itself, digging deep, planting self and re-orienting my purpose and vision in the world of the arts. It is only recently that accepting and proudly understanding myself as a story teller with responsibility and accountability to the community and my fellow artists has become an imperative journey for me. I am respecting the responsibility and beauty that comes with this and in the process, asking my fellow sisters and brothers who themselves are openly, clearly, and very beautifully bold to come together to “just do it”. Just do it meaning, sharing with the rest of the world the talent, gift and stories that exist at the very core of Sierra Leonean society. We aren’t just those people that sing, dance, paint or organize shows; we aren’t just at the periphery of society’s consciousness,