Kate Moseley
4 min
Updated: Aug 18, 2021
We talk to Dionne Edwards, founder of the Free Caribbean and African food festival which aims to support and promote the black and minority ethnic food & hospitality sector post pandemic.
Dionne Edwards is the determined businesswoman, behind the Free Caribbean and African food festival which aims to create new opportunities for Black, and Minority Ethnic businesses in Leeds.
Ms Edwards set up The Cultural Arts Heritage Circle in 2019 and has since hosted a series of empowering business events that aim to increase the visibility of Minority businesses to the wider community. This August bank holiday, the social enterprise is hosting a food festival at Leeds' Kirkgate Market, food hall.
Dionne Edwards, talked to us about what the event means for the community. She said:
"Many businesses from black and minority ethnic communities are based in the food industry. The impact and ramifications after Covid 19 have been phenomenal for these businesses. It is imperative that they are supported to find ways to reach wider audiences, these businesses need to shift their presence so they can have a chance to compete and thrive. This event also provides an opportunity for black and minority ethnic entrepreneurs’ voices to be heard on a wider platform".
Recent reports on institutional racism, released by Ipsos Mori this summer, highlights the disadvantages still facing black and minority ethnic businesses across the UK. The reports show that minority ethnic entrepreneurs are still managing to struggle through and create new start up’s despite a lack of access to finance and business support.
"Eventually if we don't maintain to our cultural traditions, somebody else will sell them back to us"
Dionne, who is from a legal background, is passionate about using her expertise and business knowledge to create new opportunities that can have a lasting effect in her community.
Following other successful events, Ms Edwards has taken action and organised the free food festival to help black and minority ethnic businesses to progress in the dismal economic aftermath of covid -19 and the subsequent lockdown. Dionne explains how businesses have suffered due to the pandemic.
"Everybody has been affected by the aftermath of COVID-19 and all it has brought along, but in particular, Black and minority ethnic businesses have suffered worse than most, not least, because a lot of people who worked in hospitality have been forced into redundancy. This event will at least help to begin to revive and restore our economic presence and allow these businesses to attract a wider clientele".
Dionne tells us how the festival can also help educate the wider public about the diversity of cultural food.
She explained: "People who are unfamiliar with Caribbean and African food automatically think of Jerk Chicken as a dish that represents an entire diaspora, at this event people get to sample an array of culinary delights from different islands of the Caribbean and from across the Continent of Africa"
In a culturally diverse society, people have become more curious about food and more open to trying different cultural cuisines. But Dionne explains that there is also the danger of Caribbean and African Cuisines being offered by non - African and Caribbean businesses with more economic power to compete in the wider marketplace. Further alienating and tipping the balance against black owned businesses.
Dionne says: "If we are not even able to compete with our own cultural food, then we lose out to bigger brands who are happy to serve the demand for cultural food. This is economically dangerous for black owned businesses and compromises our traditional values, which may get lost and diluted because we don’t have the economic power to keep them alive. Eventually if we don't maintain to our cultural traditions, somebody else will sell them back to us".
Dionne hopes that this event will inspire Leeds council to go further to help Black hospitality businesses as she feels they have been left out on a local level.
She said: "When looking at the council's Covid-19 Response & Recovery Plan, it doesn’t take into account smaller business, specifically black business and if our voices can’t be heard our business presence needs to be felt instead".
Ms Edwards’ passion for supporting businesses is contagious and she wants as many people to benefit from her events as possible. She explains that the decision to make the festival a free event was to make it accessible for all.
"The Cultural Arts Heritage Circle works with a network of businesses, and we understand that people are coming out of Covid and don’t have much money, because the economy is in disarray. We’ve made it a free event to let everyone have the opportunity to celebrate the freedom we now have and to showcase and celebrate our cultural traditions through food so we can start to revive, rebuild and restore as a community".
Dionne is hopeful that this event will have a lasting economic impact by inspiring the younger generation to get involved in the food industry, she said:
"I hope it does inspire a new generation of young black chefs, that would take the baton and build up on our legacy".
The Cultural Arts Heritage Circle takes place at Leeds' Kirkgate Market, food hall.
28th August, between 10am-5pm.
The event is free, but those wanting to attend will need to register.
Interview by Kate Moseley / Edits: Marceline Powell