Cooking has been in my blood from a young age.
Maria
Sierra Leone is a place with warm-hearted people, beautiful landscapes, and a unique blend of cultures, making it a special and cherished homeland. In Krio, we affectionately call our country “Sweet Salone,” which translates to “Sweet Sierra Leone.” This nickname captures the essence of our country - resilient, welcoming, and rich in culture, despite the hardships it has faced. “Sweet Salone” is a term of endearment, reflecting the joy, pride, and optimism we feel for our homeland.
A Taste of Heritage
When naming my cookbook, Sweet Salone, it felt only natural to choose a title that would reflect the flavours, stories, and spirit of Sierra Leone. The book is a love letter to my childhood, to the food my mother and grandmother taught me to cook, and to the vibrant culinary traditions that shape me as a chef.
Sweet Salone includes a range of Sierra Leonean street food, traditional main dishes, and Afro-fusion starters and mains. Food fusion is about combining contrasting culinary traditions, techniques, and ingredients into a single dish. This approach allows me to experiment with flavours and textures, bringing together diverse influences while keeping the essence of tradition intact. It’s a balance of creativity and nostalgia, and at the heart of it is my desire to show something new without losing what makes these dishes special.
Through the years, I’ve gained a deep understanding of ingredient properties, cooking methods, and flavour combinations, which allows me to confidently experiment and adapt recipes. I’m inspired by my heritage, and I embrace the richness and diversity of African ingredients, from grains like millet and sorghum, to tubers like cassava and yams, and an array of tropical fruits, leafy greens, and spices. These ingredients are the foundation of my cooking and are what give Sierra Leonean food its distinct, vibrant character.
From Childhood to Cookbook
Cooking has been in my blood from a young age. I remember “play-cooking” in a rusty old car as a child, pretending it was my kitchen. By the age of 8 or 9, I was helping my mother prepare meals for our family. Later, I trained at Leiths culinary school in London, where I learned the classical European techniques that are essential for a professional chef. But the techniques that really shaped me, are the ones I learned at home.
While my training in London taught me knife skills and other methods, it’s the comprehensive knowledge of Sierra Leonean ingredients and their seasonality that truly defines my cooking. It’s this fusion of traditional techniques with contemporary influences that shapes the dishes I create today.
Sweet Salone is a reflection of that, of my roots, my training, and my love for sharing the bold, beautiful flavours of Sierra Leone with the world.