Kwéyòl / Creole - by Nina Compton & Osayi Endolyn (Hardcover)

About the Book

"James Beard award-winning chef Nina Compton shares recipes and stories inspired by her culinary journey from Saint Lucia to the American South and the deep African culinary roots that thread these cuisines together. Growing up in Saint Lucia, a small island nestled in the heart of the Caribbean, chef Nina Compton developed a deep sense of community through cooking and food. As she traveled and worked in restaurants abroad, she was eager to learn, improvise, and innovate by doing what transplants like herself do best: Bring the best of home with them wherever they go. Kwâeyáol / Creole explores the cuisines that form the basis of her unique culinary perspective, from St. Lucia and the Caribbean to the Afro-Latino cuisine of Miami where she continued to hone her cooking style, the Creole cuisine of New Orleans, and the indigenous and African influences underpinning them all. The recipes are both transportive and irresistible: callaloo greens with coconut cream, guava vinaigrette drizzled over banana, homemade curry with fresh turmeric and ginger, pickled mango and avocado salad, jerk-buttered corn, Creole potato salad, the countless possibilities of the beloved plantain. Interwoven short essays offer fascinating insight into the cultural experiences connected to Nina's food, such as folktales and origin stories of the "twin" holidays of Creole Day in Saint Lucia and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Full of beautiful travel photography and Nina's uplifting voice and singular culinary vision, Kwâeyáol / Creole stands at a thrilling intersection of cultures and foodways"-- Provided by publisher.

Book Synopsis

James Beard Award-winning chef Nina Compton shares recipes that tell the story of her thrilling culinary journey from St. Lucia to Jamaica, Miami, and New Orleans, and celebrate the diverse African heritage that threads these cuisines together.

Growing up in St. Lucia, a small island in the Eastern Caribbean, chef Nina Compton developed a strong sense of community through cooking and food. As she traveled and worked in restaurants abroad, she was eager to learn, improvise, and innovate by doing what transplants like herself do best: Bring the best of home with them wherever they go. Kwéyòl / Creole explores the cuisines and pivotal locales that form the basis of Nina's unique culinary perspective: from her birthplace in St. Lucia, to Jamaica where her view of Caribbean cuisines broadened, to Miami where she was immersed in Afro-Latin influences and continued to hone her cooking style, and finally New Orleans, her adopted city whose Creole cuisine brought her home in new ways.

In St. Lucia, when they say "Creole," they don't mean French-influenced. The St. Lucian Creole, or Kwéyol, celebrates a diverse African heritage, beautifully reflected in the 100 recipes presented here. The dishes are both transportive and irresistible, each telling a story of its multi-faceted history and influences: steamed snapper with a peppery ginger sauce, slow-cooked curried goat, green fig and saltfish, coconut-braised collard greens, Creole-stewed conch, the countless possibilities of the beloved plantain. In these pages, the weather is warm and tropical, and the vibe is easygoing, just like the places Nina's lived. The dishes are full of flavor and the mood is chill.

Full of stunning travel photography and anchored by Nina's singular culinary vision, Kwéyòl / Creole celebrates the rich history of where she comes from, while forging something that feels a little new, a little hers. And now, with this book, a little yours, too.

Review Quotes

"In Kwéyòl/Creole, the fine details of Nina's life in St. Lucia and her rise as one of the most powerful and thoughtful chefs and restaurateurs in the United States give us another reference point for the vibrant and vast canon of Caribbean foodways."--Nicole A. Taylor, James Beard Award-nominated food writer, restaurant consultant, and author of Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations

"Nina Compton's Kwéyòl/Creole is an incredible example of how food can be the best storyteller. Her recipes are not just about the food but are also a reflection of the rich history and traditions of her Caribbean roots."--Emeril Lagasse, chef, restaurateur, and TV personality

"Watching Nina, a young cook from St. Lucia, blossom into a true star has been amazing. I'm incredibly proud of what she has accomplished. Now we can all bring her delicious food journey into our homes with her debut cookbook."--Marcus Samuelsson, award-winning chef and author

"Nina transports us to all the places that have impacted her cuisine throughout her life. You will get to explore and celebrate the traditional flavors, spices and ingredients of St. Lucia, Jamaica, Miami and New Orleans in your own kitchen. Bravo Nina for the great work!!"--Daniel Boulud, chef and restaurateur

"Nina's heritage, her travels, and her experiences have created a culinary perspective that are truly one of a kind. These aren't recipes one can seek out elsewhere, they exist because Nina and her beautiful story exists."--Mason Hereford, chef and owner of award-winning restaurant Turkey and the Wolf

"Stories of family, history, and [Nina's] journey are so vividly woven throughout that they transport us to the time and place described while anchoring us in the aromas and textures of each delicious recipe."--Adrienne Cheatham, James Beard Award-nominated chef, cookbook author, and Top Chef finalist

"Kwéyòl/Creole is a bighearted, adventurous journey into what has inspired Nina and is a reflection of her passions, the joy, and the fun that she brings to the table."--David Kinch, award-winning chef, cookbook author, and restaurateur

"Good cookbooks stir your appetite, but great cookbooks immerse you in stories of time and place. Nina's Kwéyòl/Creole is an outstanding example, blending vibrant flavors with rich cultural history. You'll find each recipe is woven with tales of heritage, resilience, and celebration."--Gregory Gourdet, James Beard Award-winning chef and cookbook author

"In her debut cookbook, Nina elegantly shares with us, through food, her journey as a renowned chef. Her culinary travels are bright, flavorful, rich, and deep. Nina is the real deal!"--Mashama Bailey, author and James Beard Award-winning chef and partner of The Grey

"James Beard Award-winning chef and St. Lucian native Compton shares recipes that 'celebrate a diverse African heritage' in her exciting debut. . . . This wide-ranging collection will be a welcome addition to any Caribbean food lover's library."--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Nina Compton is a James Beard Award-winning chef and was named one of Food & Wine's "Best Chefs." She is also the chef and owner of the award-winning restaurants Compère Lapin, BABs Nola, and Nina's Creole Cottage. She was born and raised in St. Lucia and now resides in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Osayi Endolyn is a James Beard award-winning writer, editor, and producer who creates culturally informed narrative, visual, and experiential storytelling. Her work is widely featured across media and entertainment platforms. She has co-authored [the] acclaimed cookbooks The Rise and Black Power Kitchen.