Gimbia's Kitchen
Welcome to Gimbia's Kitchen, owned and operated by Chefs/Farmers Halima Salazar & Dria Price.
Gimbia's Kitchen is a culinary experience led by an African woman and African American women with the goal of bridging the gap between the two continents via food and its stories. We create immersive dining journeys that explore the connections between West African cuisine and Southern food traditions shaped by the transatlantic slave trade.
Gimbia's Kitchen's events are more than just a meal, they are curated stories on a plate. Each dish is carefully crafted to guide the audience through history, culture, and flavor, connecting the American south to its African roots.
We do not cater as our food is meant to be shared, explained, and savored with context. To us, the meal is not just about the food, but also the journey. Each guest deserves a guide.
At Gimbia's Kitchen, you don't just eat. You travel through your tastebuds. You use your palate's memory to experience the transformation. You learn to connect with the world around you.
About
Halima Salazar
Halima is a farmer and a chef. She was born and raised in Nigeria and came to the US to go to college. When she first came, she found it difficult to eat the food because it was so different. As she immersed herself more in the culture, she started to find meals, such as black eyed peas and greens, that seemed familiar to her. It was like someone created certain dishes out of the essence of remembering and trying to hold on to what was once familiar.
As an immigrant, she learned as she became more involved with cooking for her African community how to replace ingredients from her home with ingredients that were available, much like the enslaved did when they were forcefully taken away from their ancestral home. In 2013, Halima had the opportunity to return to her home country, where she attended Chef’s Academy in Abuja, Nigeria.
Dria Price
Dria Price, the pastry chef of Gimbia’s Kitchen, grew up with serious home bakers whose desserts were often sought after for occasions ranging from weddings to birthdays. She is a registered & licensed dietitian, focusing on the importance of a balanced diet that does not exclude what people love. Her passion for cooking comes from watching the many foodservice professionals in her family who knew the importance of creating meals that were not only delicious but also nutritious. Her love for food started when she would watch her grandfather and mother in the kitchen, eventually easing her way in front of the stove after years of begging. Dria’s style of cooking focuses on recreating childhood favorites, exploring the methods behind family recipes, and adding a twist whenever she can.