Four Chefs Share How Food Shapes Their Juneteenth Celebrations

Erika Council’s Peach Cobbler

"On June 19th, 1865, union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to announce more than 250,000 enslaved African Americans in the state were free by executive decree. This day would become known as “Juneteenth.” Growing up, we would celebrate the “Freedom” holiday, as we often would call it, with pies. Strawberry hand pies with a sugar-coated biscuit-like crust, that were baked in the oven and then somewhat “seared” on the stove in a cast iron skillet with bubbling melted butter and sugar. In other words, they were divine, juicy, and sweet, very sweet. 

The dough was a versatile mix of all-purpose flour, butter, and sugar that could also be mixed and made into a sweet cobbler crust, which I’ve done here. Since I've made the great state of Georgia my home, I’ve developed a deep affection for peaches. This year we’ll use sweet peaches and bake them into the same ole fashioned biscuit crust in a hot cast iron skillet for our celebration of freedom and now, so can you!"

— Erika Council

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Deborah VanTrece’s Skillet Strawberry Cobbler

"On Juneteenth,  traditional food is shared such as barbecue, fried chicken, tea cakes, watermelon, strawberry soda, red velvet cake, red beans and rice, etc. There is an emphasis on the color red, as it was a part of the culture of many of the enslaved. The red also symbolizes the blood that was spilled to obtain freedom. In present-day, the celebration has become more widespread in African American communities. 

For me and my family, we have chosen to make a week of it, sharing stories, food, and red drink to celebrate the accomplishments of our people. My personal contribution to our celebration has been strawberry cobbler. I usually make it in a cast iron skillet that’s been in my family for generations. It is not considered traditional, but it is easy to make and it offers another option to the tradition of “red.”  I serve it with vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream."

— Deborah VanTrece

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Matthew Raiford's Spatchcock Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

"This recipe resonates for me on Juneteenth because at Gilliard Farms, chicken was a meal we only made on special occasions. Unless there was a baby shower, wedding or funeral, it wasn’t a regular food I ate; my great grandmother, Florine, would remind my sister, Althea, and I that a good hen will give you an egg every day and that was more meals over a week than one sitting of roasted chicken.

Juneteenth most certainly is a most auspicious day and occasion, which would and should be celebrated with all the foods that are considered “special occasion” foods!"

— Matthew Raiford

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Kenyatta Ashford's West African Red-Red with Coconut Rice, Avocado & Sweet Plantain

"We call food that comes from the Neutral Ground kitchen “afro-creole” cuisine as it follows the story of my ancestors from West Africa from across the Atlantic, through the Caribbean, to ports of enslavement in the Americas, and to my hometown of New Orleans. Thanks to many other chefs preserving, interpreting, and celebrating African food ways and the James Beard Foundation’s scholarship program, I’ve been able to spend time and deep contemplation thinking about the food of my people. 

As we celebrate Juneteenth and the emancipation of African Americans, dishes like red red help us hold on to the tastes of our original homeland while at the same time marking both the perils and progress of our people on the long journey back to true freedom. "

— Kenyatta Ashford

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