Bridging cultures and cuisines: How New Orleans, Zanzibar became ‘sisters’

Ashely-Marie, an American from Philadelphia, is now part of the fabric that makes up Zanzibar, a member of African Americans with investments on the island, a restauranteur with her establishment at the hare of Stone Town.

‘The Box by Ashley Maybe’ restaurant located on the first floor next to Yeo Yam in Shanghani Street, has hosted people from all walks of life, from American tourists who are surprisingly happy to see one of their air from the home to hip-hop legend Davis Banner, happy to see a sister making moves in the motherland.

Ashley’s ambition was not to just open up a restaurant but to connect cultures, started the resultant with not so much as 12 wine glasses, it has blossomed to be a centrepiece of the revellers and fun seekers in StoneTown, serving African American, Caribbean and Mexican foods, the place is buzzing with soul music, good wine, and warm conversation.

The Philadelphia native has partnered with a few organizations in the City of New Orleans in Louisiana, Ashely is involved in a Carla Briggs established hospitality and culinary exchange programme, ‘The Hospitality X-change programme’.

Making Zanzibar the first to partner with New Orleans, a rich culinary destination with African, Spanish, French, and Native American heritage, with Gumbo, the stew made of flour and fat, mixed with meat and Jambalaya, the rice dish cooked with meat as the city’s signature dishes, one can only draw parallel to the Zanzibar cuisine that is also heavy on the meat and rice is a stable daily diet.

This culinary collaboration seems like a perfect fit at a time when Zanzibar is seeking to attract more tourists and investment in the spice island.

The programme aims to make Zanzibari culinary students eligible to learn more about their craft under Ashley’s partner, Chef Byron, in New Orleans, the United States with all expenses paid for, and learn from her vast knowledge while in Zanzibar.

They are proud to have partnered with the University of Zanzibar for the programme.

They are also working closely with Lord Mayor Ali Haji representing the Urban Municipal Council, who flew to the City of New Orleans at the special invitation of LaToya Cantrell, the mayor of the City of New Orleans, He met with all the stakeholders, another milestone as Zanzibar is establishing itself as a dominant and preferred tourist destination in Africa.

The programme aims to equip young Zanzibaris who are keen to work in the hospitality industry with new and improved skills that will be beneficial in the growing tourism sector.

Part of an initiative is to create a bridge with the global hospitality industry while recognising the underrepresented cuisines.

There are boundless opportunities and potential for mutual benefits in this collaboration.

The hospitality industry in Zanzibar is getting investments in times of hundreds of millions of dollars, and the need for personnel in the hospitality sector will be substantial as new hotels are constructed on the island.

The founding of the ‘Change Foundation’ between the city of New Orleans and Zanzibar, will allow Ashley and her partners to teach, as an African American, she feels honoured to be able to share her knowledge in Zanzibar, the craft that she has learned over decades at a prestigious level as the same time making a bridge between African Americans and Africa.

The grant-funded programme will be at no cost for the local Zanzibaris, who will be able to travel to New Orleans and sharpen their culinary skills and vice versa.

Ashely had to endure a huge amount of debt that was burdened on her when she became the sole proprietor of the restaurant when she parted ways with her previous partner, she had to find all other alternative means to keep the doors open, for she envisions that in 2025 it won’t be just a restaurant but a learning centre for young Zanzibari chefs and with the motivation to improve the culinary and hospitality industry in Zanzibar.

Walking around “The Box” restaurant you can see the renovation touch she has added, the new paintings on the wall, the vibrant colour, and a bulging stack of vinyl, at the back there is a garden that is shaping up well, the vines, climbing plants with their tendrils growing will soon provide enough shade for revellers shortly.

Being in Zanzibar for the last three years, she acknowledges that Zanzibar has what she calls ‘fine dining’ but with the culinary institutions teaching the young people basic knowledge, they could use this internship programme. “I have met a lot of experienced and talented chefs, but they can benefit from having more exposure and that's what this programme offers” she added. They have added a Parmacultue aspect in the programme for kitchen sustainability, teaming up with Mama Matimwa owner of Msonge Organic farm in Zanzibar as part of the program teaming up with an organic.  Ashely had to teach her staff at ‘the Box’ are few basic knowledge like ‘cross contamination’ safe and sustainable kitchen things that a person working in the culinary industry in the US would already be equipped with that understanding. The exchange of knowledge is key to improving the industry she loves as she is also learning Kiswahili to communicate better.

The coordination with her lead chef has been great as they bounce off ideas and have additional cuisines in their menu, “we have now added Korean barbecue, though we have limited communication but as a team we can work magic in the kitchen,” she said.

Her friends tell her she shouldn’t be scared to speak Kiswahili even when she makes a mistake, that's the only way she would learn and improve her verbiage.

Zanzibar is one of the oldest spice islands and the epicenter of tourism in East Africa, this sisterhood will surely be beneficial to New Orleans and Zanzibar, as they will get to learn about the rich culture and cuisine of the island as they navigate through the natural beauty and rich history that spans through centuries. New Orleans, just like Zanzibar, has abundant seafood.