Welcome to Delicious in the Diaspora.
The Global Fundraising Initiative centered around the culture of the African Diaspora!
A revolutionary cookbook series...
This fascinatingly unique cookbook started out as an introductory guide to one of Chef Jay's great loves - Ayurveda. What began as an exploration of a brilliant and colorful system of medicinal food culture exploded into an all out search for the cultural, spiritual and etymological origins of the words, traditions, concepts and botanicals he was writing so effusively about. Chef Jay became entranced at just how much of the worlds' culture of food had roots in Africa and in turn, how much of its' culture and knowledge Africa gave to the world through her ever revealing Diaspora. We invite you to explore, in this first volume of the series, an interesting global chase behind the origins of the Ukwaju - perhaps better known as the "tamarind". While you do so, enjoy the healthy vegan and vegetarian recipes! Immerse yourself in the Ethnobotanical and spiritual heritage of the discussions and questions posed and of course, discover your dosha and become awash in the the beautiful medicinal philosophy of Ayurveda! Purchase the all digital book, now on pre-sale before its' official release this fall! A portion of the proceeds go to benefit charities locally and globally! Purchase the book as a stand alone item and make one lump sum donation or purchase as part of the Delicious in the Diaspora Membership and give a small amount each month!
Delicious in the Diaspora:
The CookBook with a Global Purpose
What is this project attempting to accomplish
The global initiative set forth by businessman and philanthropist Chef Jay Lewis is an ambitious one - "Feed, Heal, Nourish and Educate". The Delicious in the Diaspora CookBook is the flagship vehicle to supporting a wide variety of causes and initiatives.
Expand the Understanding
Go Greener
Promote the UN SDG's
The African Diaspora is HUGEÂ and this book intends to show just that!
In this first volume of the cook book series, Chef Jay does substantial work to connect for the readers the east and west oriented African Diaspora. No longer only focused on the westward flowing "slave trade" route, this cook book expands the discussion with an introduction to Ayurveda, an ethnobotanical challenge to the origin of "tamarind" and recipes which cross borders and cultures to make the most delicious observance of multiculturalism!
Discover the Flavorful and Sustainable benefits of
Plant Based Eating
In the first chapter, discover Chef Jay's personal recipes for plant based alternatives to staple items such as butter, milk, cheese, sour cream, etc. He even gives us a recipe for a delicious and effective natural toothpaste...and a natural tooth brush! This cookbook series certainly understands the social and ecological benefit to going greener from a culinary and philosophical point of view.
The United Nations SDG's are a Vital Part of the Global Fight for a Sustainable Future.
The United Nations SDG's play a critical role in the global coordination of sensible, timely and vital idea's, all aimed at one overarching ideal - sustainability! The Delicious in the Diaspora global initiative seeks to educate as we feed people - delight the senses and promote healthy eating habits as we talk about the need for maternal and pediatric nutrition. We call for more support for farmers and agriculturalists. We want our readers and supporters to call for more support and coordination in STEAM(science, teachnology, engineering, agriculture and math) education programs in k-12 as well as at the university level.
Delicious in the Diaspora and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG)
Chef Jay in on a global mission
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals or "UNSDG's" are a crucial part of our collective human strategy to not simply sustain our planet but to begin to realize surplus and bounty. Chef Jay has chosen to focus on three main areas on UNSDG focus: SDG2, SDG3, SDG12 and SDG17. Learn more about these and other UNSDG's below and how by getting involved with the Delicious in the Diaspora Global Initiative, you can get involved too!
UN SDG 2: Ending Hunger and Malnutrition
Our Children are "Stunting and Wasting"
SDG 2 is all about food and nutrition. It is one of the foundational SDG's as hunger and nutrition are at the heart of nearly every aspect of human existence. Which is why it is so concerning that food insecurity grew from 23.2% in 2014 to 26.4Â %is 2018. It is unacceptable that in 2019 there a 144 million(21.3%) of children under the age of 5 are stunted and 47Â million(6.9%) suffer fro a condition known as wasting. As a supporter of the Delicious in the Diaspora global initiative, we hope to enlist your help in closing the gap on these vital issues and helping feed the hungry and malnourished children all over the world!
UN SDG 12: Sustainable Production and Consumption
13.8% of Food lost in the global supply chain
SDG 12 is focused on ensuring sustainable production and consumption patterns. For the Delicious in the Diaspora project this means talking about food waste. Food waste is a HUGE contributor to global waste and from the UN SDG page linked below, we learn that 13.8% of food is lost in the supply chain. Inefficient supply chains, indifference and at times greed and malfeasance, create conditions where food waste is simply ignored or the incentive to innovate and invest in solutions is not present. We MUST do better here is we are to feed our growing population and feed them is a healthy sustainable manner.
UN SDG 17: Strengthening Global Partnerships
ODA: Official Development Aid is Down
When the Delicious in the Diaspora project was being talked about, Dr. Juliette made it clear that the partnerships between nations, between global NGO's, government agencies and municipal orders need to be focused on making it easier to cooperate with each other. With ODA to developing nations expected to fall by nearly 40% or more in coming years, it is up to the global citizen to step in and demand greater accountability from our leaders. The inclusion of SDG 17 is the glue that holds the other SDG's together!
UN SDG 3:Â
Ensuring Healthy Lives & Well Being
Maternal Health and Pediatrics are how we build the future
Healthy communities are grown from healthy children. Healthy children come from healthy mothers and fathers. UN SDG 3 focuses on many aspects of health and well being, especially maternity health and pediatrics. With less than half of the global population being covered by these and other essential health services, it is believed that there will be hundreds of thousands more deaths of children under 5. And if the mother is malnourished and unable to care for her own health - get the services that she needs - than this makes things that much more difficult on the baby. If we do not get fathers involved with maternal care in a healthy way, this makes things much harder on the community effort to support the health and well being of women and children!
The Delicious in the Diaspora Experts
We are Chefs, Doctors, Professors, Writers, Philosophers, Parents, Academics
and global citizens from all over the Diaspora!
Dr. Wanita Lewis, Ph.D
Food Scientist, Entrepreneur, Agriculture and Gender Policy Consultant
Dr. Wanida Lewis is the CEO and Founder of Crescendo Foods, a culinary incubator in Accra, Ghana. Dr. Lewis has over ten years experience leading programs, strategic partnerships and economic evaluation initiatives throughout the African continent. Dr. Lewis has over ten years experience of  leadership and policy experience in economic and agricultural initiatives throughout the African continent. Previously, she was a Senior Economic Program Advisor at the US Department of State's Global Women's Issues Office. She has a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Saint Augustine’s University, a master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry from North Carolina Central University and a doctoral degree in Food Science from North Carolina State University. The Dr. Wanida E. Lewis Food Science Fellowship Award Endowment was established in 2013 to provide fellowship funding for underrepresented graduate students in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University.
We are always bringing on more team members and experts to write, blog and edit our work. Click the link below to read some articles, join a panel discussion or follow us on social media!