The Food Column: Chef celebrates with 'Taste of Africa' at the Union Project
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Olafemi Mandley, chef of Cafe Ola Appetit at the Union Project in Highland Park, will be doing "A Taste of Africa" on Feb. 24 at the Union Project.
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Chef Olafemi Mandley has been celebrating Black History Month with special events for several years now. This year she's got her own space in which to do it, so she's throwing a bigger party than ever.
For three years, she cooked for Black History celebrations at Community College of Allegheny County's South Campus. And she held small parties for friends in her own home.
But last November, she moved her catering business from West Mifflin to the recently renovated Union Project, a former church in Highland Park.
Ola Appetit Cafe now serves local, "globally chic" food from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday (Wednesday until 6 p.m.) and continues to provide catering services. (Those are winter hours; the schedule will change in the spring and summer.)
The cafe menu changes daily, depending on what's in season. "Chef Ola," as she's known, says you could walk in and find anything from sushi to a French ragout. She serves sandwiches, soups, entrees and pastries.
For her Taste of Africa celebration at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 24, she will roll out a menu representative of black history through the centuries. A savory-foods reception will feature African indigenous foods such as peanut stew, plus Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken and plantains.
She's aiming to capture the range of "foods African and African-American people have eaten historically."
By the time the crowd rolls around to dessert later in the evening, she'll be serving up more recent African-American favorites, including banana fritters and peach cobbler.
Guests will start the evening with an opening reception in the Union Project's Great Hall, where they'll also see a screening of the movie "Sankofa," Ethiopian filmmaker Haile Gerima's story about Maafa, the African holocaust.
Throughout the evening, local artisans will display and sell their wares, and musicians will present steel pan drumming and other music.
The dessert reception will be held inside the cafe.
"This year I have a larger space, so I'm reaching out to a greater audience," Ms. Mandley said.
Tickets are $12 in advance (purchase at Ola Appetit Cafe) or $15 at the door. For information: 412-404-2246 or OlaUP.com.
Three for Feb. 25:
• Winterfest Fire & Icing Festival, noon to 5 p.m. at Clearview Commons, Uptown Mt. Lebanon. Chili cook-off and desserts at local restaurants and businesses, entertainment, beer, children's activities. $10 in advance, $15 at the door. mtlebanonpartnership.com.
First Published February 16, 2012 12:00 am
