Next month, as part of its South Asian Heritage Month celebrations, Wandsworth Council has partnered with historian Geoff Simmons for Taste of Planet Tooting.
This unique walking tour will visit food business and community spaces in the borough run by people from across South Asia.
It’s a chance to try dishes, meet chefs, producers and shop owners and discover the personal and culinary narratives that bind generations and cultures together.
In October, TV chef and resident Ainsley Harriott will launch African Caribbean Food Month as part of the council’s Black History 365 programme.
Throughout the month, food-focused events designed to bring people together through shared experience will be held around the borough, including cooking workshops, author talks, panel discussions and live cooking demonstrations.
There will also be activities in schools and library storytelling sessions for children and young people.
The month will kick off with a launch event in which chefs and food entrepreneurs in conversation with Ainsley Harriott will explore the changing face of African Caribbean cuisine.
He said: “Food has always been more than just sustenance for me – it’s a way to connect with family and friends, community and my roots. For me, Caribbean cooking is very much about the joy of sharing and bringing people together around the table – as is African cuisine. When I was growing up our house was always a vibrant hub of guests, coming to sample my mother’s cooking.
“Now, when I cook dishes like her Red Bean Stew & Dumplings it evokes stories of my family’s culture, history, and tradition. That’s why I’m proud, as a local resident, to launch Wandsworth African Caribbean Food Month as part of the borough’s Black History Month and London of Borough Celebrations, and I invite everyone to discover, enjoy and celebrate these vibrant traditions.”
