Born and bred in Jamaica, James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Black’s lifelong passion for cooking was inspired by the diverse flavors utilized by his Indian grandmother.
“I grew up in a Hindu family,” the Oklahoma City-based chef, known for eateries Grey Sweater, The Gilded Acorn, Black Walnut, and most recently, Perle Mesta, through his Culinary Edge hospitality group, says while recounting the dishes he learned to make at his paternal grandmother’s side. “Mullangi chutney, Takari, Dhal Puri – the whole nine yards.”
The “farm-to-table” cuisine that has become a trend on menus worldwide was Black’s way of life.
“We didn’t know the word foraging back then. We ‘farmed-to-table every day,’” says the chef, whose love letter to the style of wild food sourcing can be found in his 2012 cookbook, Foraging in Oklahoma: Tales and Recipes From the Open Road. “I remember my grandmother going in the bushes to pick a jackfruit and making curry jackfruit taste like goat meat. I remember butchering my first pig. Now, I see a restaurant serving pig brain, and I say, ‘Yeah, that’s what the poor folks used to eat.’ I remember all that stuff. I grew up in a very food-centered culture.”
Like Jamaica, Morocco has a food-centered culture that is also known for its diverse flavors. Couscous. Tagine. Harira. The list goes on.
Black’s never-ending hunger for exploration put him in perfect alignment as the tour guide for an upcoming trip to Morocco in partnership with Modern Adventure. Black will guide the taste buds of a lucky group of travelers on “The Heart & Soul of Morocco,” an eight-day culinary tour through the North African country.
“In my own way, the older I get, the more curious I am,” the chef notes. “Today, more than ever, I really believe that curiosity equals possibility. It’s something that binds culture, flavors, culinary journey and all at one table.”
Something Black is very curious about is the elements that make up Moroccan food culture.
“What I hold dear to my heart about cooking is ingredients. I grew up on good ingredients,” he says. “That has been with me ever since I stepped into a kitchen because I knew that good ingredients were always prepared, and I see that in everything I do now. It’s second nature.”
Honoring flavorful ingredients will be just one part of the excursion through Morocco. Guests can look forward to a bustling itinerary that includes a welcome dinner cooked at the famed Rick’s Café in Casablanca, exploring local markets and spice souks in Fes, hiking through the Atlas mountains, learning about traditional Moroccan culture and cooking techniques with a stop at the Morocco Culinary Art Museum in Marrakech, discovering unique ingredients native to the region, and observing the chef stepping into the kitchen and working with local culinarians to create dishes with Moroccan flavors.
The chef also expresses his excitement about enjoying Moroccan spices and their connection to his upbringing in Jamaica. Black looks forward to learning new techniques with couscous and how Moroccan chefs treat their saffron.
However, as excited as he is about the spices, he says the trip’s truly special ingredients will be the people. “Imagine going to someone’s house and learning a traditional dish from start to finish and just being a sponge. The goal is not to even try and change it. The goal is to really absolve it and break bread with everyone there,” he says.
Black says the trip is for anyone with an open mind and gratitude as their top travel essentials. He looks forward to connecting with travelers who will partake in the trip, as well as locals they will break bread with, all making for an unforgettable experience.
“For some, it’s a really good handshake or a hug; that is more than money. It’s an ‘I appreciate you,’” he says. “That person stops what they’re doing and invests in you by feeding you. Food is culture.”
With the code MARVEL, travelers can receive a $750 discount on bookings made before Friday, Oct 11. For more information, please visit Modern Adventure.
