Chef Howsoon Cham, affectionately referred to as “H.O.,” resides out what some would outline because the “American Dream.” He got here to america at 18 from Gambia, setting out on a singular mission by means of the common language of meals after graduating from Bethany Faculty.
Learning underneath the James Beard award-winning chef Cindy Wolf within the early Nineteen Nineties, Cham has opened a number of eating places. His Northwest D.C.-based restaurant Moi Moi, works to unite Africans and African Individuals in a world typically divided by borders and cultural variations.
“There’s quite a lot of connection between meals, slavery and historical past. That’s how this took place,” Cham mentioned when discussing the founding of Moi Moi, positioned at 1627 Okay Road NW.
For Black Individuals seeking to join with their African tradition, Cham mentioned Moi Moi is “a superb place to start out.”
He defined Black Individuals would really feel like [they] did a tour of West Africa in the case of meals, including that his restaurant is a lot greater than Gambian meals, providing Nigerian and Liberian fare, amongst others.
Nonetheless, a go to to Moi Moi is not only in regards to the meals, because the music provides to the general expertise. The chef and entrepreneur touted his curated playlist of Afrobeats that includes famend artists corresponding to Wizkid, Burna Boy and the artist generally known as the Afrobeats king, Davido.
Utilizing music to unite individuals, Davido has been fervent in his cultural trade and unity efforts. He launched the “Are We African But?” pageant in Nov. 2023 to have a good time tradition and unity. He additionally works to spotlight African designers and for the world to know Africa past the impoverished portrayal typically captured in media.
Alongside Davido’s cultural trade efforts, Cham defined he, too, goals to carry individuals collectively by means of meals and tradition. He mentioned coming collectively as individuals is “crucial,” and emphasised he needs African meals to foster moments of enjoyment and cultural trade.
His subsequent dream is to get a go to from President Joe Biden at a time when the administration goals to extend “diaspora engagement.”
Tapping Into West African Tradition By the Menu and Fare
Moi Moi serves jollof rice, a hotly mentioned dish amongst many Africans – significantly relating to what nation makes the very best. Cham didn’t hesitate to deliberate on its origin and whose rice is available in at primary.
“Senegal,” Cham declared, has the very best iteration of jollof rice.
“The dish originated from Senegal. Its authentic identify is known as Thieboudienne,” he advised The Informer, explaining It’s a conventional dish from the Sahel space of West Africa.
The restaurant’s menu features a temporary historical past of the origin of some dishes.
Additional, Moi Moi’s menu deliberately highlights principal sights in Africa, by titling drinks after them, such because the beverage “Banjul,” named after the capital metropolis of Gambia.
“[There’s the] ‘Victoria Island Mule,’ that’s a highly regarded island in Nigeria. So, you see, I’m touching everyone from in every single place and bringing them collectively,” he advised The Informer.
Moi Moi, Cham emphasised, affords a eating alternative for African Individuals to faucet into their roots. As an illustration, many individuals go to and order suya, a preferred beef dish throughout West Africa. Moi Moi’s suya is a spiked New York strip steak with Bermuda onions and pepper sauce.
“[There’s] shrimp and grits and hen wings,” the chef mentioned, “however once they sit down they give the impression of being and say ‘I need to do that suya,’ now they’re touching base.”
