Ghana to the World - by Eric Adjepong (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A transportive, highly personal cookbook of 100 West African-influenced recipes and stories from Top Chef finalist Eric Adjepong Sankofa is a Ghanaian Twi word that roughly translates to the idea that we must look back to move forward. In his moving debut cookbook, chef Eric Adjepong practices sankofa by showcasing the beauty and depth of West African food and its indelible impact on the foodways of the African diaspora through the lens of his own deeply personal story. Born in New York as the son of two Ghanaian immigrants, and traveling to and from Ghana since childhood, Eric's experience of balancing the two parts of his Ghanaian-American identity is both powerful and universal. Through 100 soul-satisfying recipes plus narrative essays, we follow Eric's culinary journey, beginning with traditional home-cooked meals from his mother, like a deeply flavorful jollof rice and a smoky, savory shrimp kontombre stew thick with leafy greens. Creative dishes like a sweet summer curried corn soup and lamb ribs with a peanutty mafe glaze influenced by his culinary education reflect the lasting connections among the cultures of the African diaspora. Full of stunning photography shot in Ghana and remembrances rooted in family, tradition, and love, Sankofa shows readers how the unsung story of a continent's cuisine can shine a powerful light on one person's exploration of who he is as a chef and a man"--

Book Synopsis

A transportive, highly personal cookbook of 100 West African-influenced recipes and stories from Top Chef finalist Eric Adjepong.

"Sankofa" is a Ghanaian Twi word that roughly translates to the idea that we must look back in order to move forward. In his moving debut cookbook, chef Eric Adjepong practices sankofa by showcasing the beauty and depth of West African food through the lens of his own culinary journey.

With 100 soul-satisfying recipes and narrative essays, Ghana to the World reflects Eric's journey to understand his identity and unique culinary perspective as a first-generation Ghanaian American. The recipes in this book look forward and backward in time, balancing the traditional and the modern and exploring the lineage of West African cooking while embracing new elements. Eric includes traditional home-cooked meals from his mother, like a deeply flavorful jollof rice and a smoky, savory kontomire stew thick with leafy greens, alongside creative dishes influenced by his culinary education, like a sweet summer curried corn bisque and sticky tamarind-glazed duck legs.

Full of stunning photography shot in Ghana and remembrances rooted in family, tradition, and love, Ghana to the World shows readers how the unsung story of a continent's cuisine can shine a powerful light on one person's exploration of who he is as a chef and a man.

Review Quotes

"In Ghana to the World, chef Eric Adjepong defines culinary sankofa, presenting traditional recipes as well as his new Ghanaian American creations that are destined to become contemporary classics. The recipes are interspersed with family stories and accompanied by glorious photographs. This is a book to savor, to cook from, to read, to gift, and, most importantly, to keep."--Jessica B. Harris, PhD, culinary historian, lecturer, author, and professor emeritus

"This book is nothing short of a love letter to Ghana and an homage to its cuisine. Thank you, Chef Eric, for blessing us with this deep-dive immersion into the rich diversity of Ghanaian cuisine."--Pierre Thiam, James Beard Award-winning chef and cookbook author

"I'm so excited to start cooking from Eric's book, Ghana to the World. West African cooking, especially Ghanaian, has a special place in my heart. He works to push boundaries and show how African cuisines are important to global food culture. I look forward to being able to cook these incredible recipes at home for and with my family."--Marcus Samuelsson, award-winning chef and author

"Ghana to the World is much more than a collection of recipes connecting Eric's family's past, present, and dreams for the future. It's a proclamation of just how integral and undeniable West African cuisine is to modern American cooking. Loaded with stunning imagery and mouth-watering recipes that transport you between continents, Ghana to the World is a vibrant celebration of a chef at his peak!"--Gail Simmons, food expert, TV host and author of Bringing It Home

"Eric has always honored the food of the African diaspora in his cooking. I've been lucky to try it firsthand myself. Through the recipes in Ghana to the World, you are now given the opportunity to share in this rich and delicious cultural exploration."--Tom Colicchio, chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality

"By exploring his West African lineage, Eric honors food history and propels forward an important dialogue about African cooking at the same time. Chefs often use their own story to articulate how they found cooking in the first place; Eric poetically shares his story through these recipes, and I can't wait to cook and learn from this book!"--Alex Guarnaschelli, chef, cookbook author, and TV host

About the Author

Eric Adjepong is an award-winning chef, author, nutritionist, and activist who has been featured on Bravo's Top Chef and Top Chef All-Stars and is currently the host on Food Network's Alex vs. America and Wildcard Kitchen. He is the owner of the Ghanaian inspired restaurant, Elmina, opening in January of 2025 in Washington, DC. He lives in Baltimore, Maryland, and New York City with his daughter.

Korsha Wilson is a food writer and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. She is the host of A Hungry Society and is also co-author of Honeysuckle with Omar Tate and Vegan Mob with Toriano Gordon.