The Black Women in Food Summit, now in its third year, is the premier event celebrating Black women in the culinary industry. Founders Nina Oduro and Maame Boakye created Black Women in Food (BWIF) and its annual summit after their work with Dine Diaspora identified a glaring gap in the representation of Black women in prominent culinary roles. The summit embodies the duo’s mission to address the systemic imbalances in the industry and carve out a space where Black women can not only exist but excel.
Based on figures from Data USA, Black women comprise only three percent of the chefs and head cooks employed in the U.S. Reflecting on this disparity, Oduro shares, “We didn’t want our efforts to perpetuate the cycle of patriarchy, so we set out to create greater opportunities for women, particularly Black women.” The BWIF Summit provides a much-needed platform for Black female culinary industry experts to gain recognition, career advancement and community. The founders’ vision transcends mere brand engagements. “We aim to foster a full ecosystem for Black women in the industry,” says Oduro.
Every year, renowned chefs, restaurateurs, food writers, food justice advocates, farmers and food entrepreneurs convene in Washington, D.C., for the transformative two-day event. The theme of this year’s summit, held at Eaton DC, is “Limitless: Claiming Space for Abundance.” Boakye explains, “This year’s theme is all about being intentional in helping Black women live a limitless life and ensuring their cups are filled.” A key element of the event is a wellness session led by a healing artist, allowing attendees to focus on their well-being and set meaningful and actionable intentions for the duration of the summit.
On the summit’s first day, participants will explore market opportunities at the Marketplace, sponsored by Pepsi, which enables Black women makers to present their products and engage with industry leaders and consumers. The day also includes the much-anticipated pitch competition, conducted for the second year in collaboration with the New Voices Foundation. The second day includes panels, workshops and discussions, starting with an opening plenary session that sets the tone for the summit and announces the pitch competition winners. The opening plenary also includes a panel moderated by Jessica Nabongo—the first Black woman to visit every country—with activist Karen Washington and chef Mashama Bailey.
Breakout sessions offer diverse topics, from scaling food products and tech innovation to experiential activities like cake decorating and creating impactful social media content. The closing plenary features a thoughtful discussion with wine consultant Julia Coney and author and culinary historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris. The summit concludes with the Dine Around. In partnership with OpenTable, the Dine Around spotlights ten local restaurants, including Cane, Hen Quarter Prime and Flavorture, offering a curated three-course experience.
At the heart of the summit lies recognition of the recipients of the 2025 BWIF Awards, which honor Black women who have left an indelible mark across various sectors of the industry. Honorees are selected through a public nomination process and evaluated by experts in nine categories: Amplifiers, Beverage Masters, Corporate Champions, Creators, Culinarians, Game Changers, Innovators, Restaurateurs and Trailblazers. Among this year’s honorees are Dawn Padmore, vice president of the James Beard Award Foundation, and Food Network champion Huda Mu’min.
New this year, BWIF is also launching an online community called The Circle. This platform provides a space where Black women across the food industry can connect, collaborate and access resources and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Summit attendees will be the first invitees to the community before it becomes available to the general public.
To book a spot or learn more about the summit, visit the Black Women in Food website.
This article first appeared on Forbes.com.
