WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) -A dinner in downtown Wilmington called Saltwater Stories brought guests together to explore how African American foodways have shaped North Carolina’s coast.
Guests gathered around the table for an evening centered on food, community and coastal heritage. The dinner was part of Out to Sea NC Fest, a celebration of the seafood and stories of the region.
Seabird chef Dean Neff founded the festival to celebrate the people, places and traditions behind the local food culture.
“We are basically trying to just talk about all things seafood in this area. There’s so much to celebrate here in terms of seafood, and culture, history of food,” Neff said.
Chef Keith Rhodes built the Saltwater Stories menu to highlight the influence of African American foodways on the coast. The dishes gave guests a chance to taste those connections.
“So we’ve got dishes like shrimp and okra stew, crab rice, roasted sweet potatoes,” Rhodes said.
Organizers said the conversations around the table are as important as the food.
“We learn a lot of really interesting facts about food and about recipes, we collaborate with great chefs and so this is like an opportunity to be able to talk about this on a bigger scale with more people,” Neff said.
The conversations also recognize the chefs, fishermen, suppliers and community members who help keep coastal traditions alive.
For some guests, the evening was a chance to try something they might not have ordered before.
“For us, it’s really about inspiring. Inspiring our guests, inspiring our community to taste something, to be a part of something that you wouldn’t always kind of gravitate towards and I think tonight was really introduction to a lot of that as well,” Rhodes said.
Organizers hoped guests would leave with more than a meal and carry the stories with them after the dinner.
“This is a little history lesson, it’s a celebration of community, our suppliers, our friends, our chefs,” Rhodes said.
Organizers said the goal is to use food to bring people together, spark conversation and keep coastal stories alive for the next generation.
The Out to Sea NC Fest continues through Nov. 10.
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