TULSA, Okla. — After losing a mentor to the grind of an unforgiving industry, Chef Chad Cherry turned grief into action. Now, he’s bringing a national movement—The State of Black Food—to Tulsa’s historic Black Wall Street, blending culinary justice, wellness, and legacy over four transformative days.
Hosted August 28–31, the four-day experience called the Black Wall Street Edition blends culinary mastery, ancestral legacy, and wellness into a powerful movement for Black and BIPOC food professionals.
From Grief to Vision: The Roots of This Gathering
Cherry launched the inaugural State of Black Food in South Florida back in 2019, honoring the memory of his late mentor, Chef Max Hardy. Hardy’s untimely passing highlighted the unsung struggles chefs endure and sparked a deeper mission: to redefine success in the culinary industry for Black and brown chefs—not through emulation, but through ownership and legacy.
Moving the conference to Tulsa, a city whose Greenwood district once soared as Black Wall Street, reflects Cherry’s vision for community-rooted empowerment amid today’s anti?DEI climate.
“Black Wall Street is not just a historic place. It gives us a literal blueprint for how to succeed in this current anti-DEI climate. What Black Wall Street did—the way they moved together, the mindset, the legacy—that is what we’ve got to get back to if we want to succeed,” told The Black Wall Street Times in an interview on why he brought it to Tulsa.
Cherry frames food as a powerful connector. “The dinner table was the first social network,” he says. Food binds communities, sparks conversation, and opens access—in homes, events, and rooms where Black flavors reclaim space and authority.
For Black culinary professionals, food becomes a form of currency, leveraging cultural capital to open doors to unconventional platforms, collaborations, and opportunities for progress.
Food as Culture, Currency, Communication
Cherry says that food is more than sustenance; it’s a bridge. He calls food a powerful connector that unites communities and reclaims space for Black culinary traditions.
“Your food is a tool. This is your currency… You want to spark community change? Let’s have an event—but we gotta have food there,” Cherry said.
For Black culinary professionals, food becomes a form of currency. It leverages cultural capital to open doors to new platforms, collaborations, and opportunities.
What is Culinary Justice?
Cherry distinguishes culinary justice from food justice.
“Culinary justice is about us as professionals being able to attain and achieve at the same levels as our white counterparts,” Chef Kulture said, adding, “Our culinary literary brands have constantly been stolen and plundered, repackaged, shipped back out, and monetized, and we have been left behind, largely.”
He calls out disparities as Black chefs’ recipes go mainstream while their contributions remain overlooked and unrewarded. Culinary justice is reclaiming credit, control, and wealth from the kitchens up. The State of Black Food: Black Wall Street Edition will address this.
“What we’re doing is showing Black chefs and the community how to take that independence and build something that’s going to benefit their communities—not just themselves—but also allow them to build legacy,” he told The Black Wall Street Times.
What to Expect from the State of Black Food Conference
The four-day schedule in Tulsa offers a blend of public events, professional development, and legacy celebration:
- Chef Showcase (Aug 28): Open to the public, spotlighting culinary influencers, cookbook authors, and Food Network personalities.
- Workshops & Wellness Activations (Aug 29): Sessions on branding, entrepreneurship, mental health, community-building, and more.
- Master Class with Certified Master Chef Daryl Shular: A rare learning opportunity with one of only a few Black certified master chefs in the U.S.
- Kulture Awards Gala (Aug 30): A red-carpet, black-tie celebration honoring Black culinary figures whose work uplifts community, mentorship, and legacy—not just their plates
- Community Day (Aug 31): A blend of heritage tours, a church service, and a barbecue celebrating Greenwood’s enduring spirit.
Throughout, attendees are encouraged to engage with Tulsa’s history, envision new horizons for their businesses, and build meaningful collaborations.
An Empowered Future, Rooted in History
Chef Cherry said that the “State of Black Food is not happening in Tulsa. It’s happening with Tulsa,” rooted in its legacy and uplifted by its culture. The State of Black Food is a national platform grounded in local heritage. Additionally, it promises to fuel independent ventures, legacy-building, and community sustainability for Black chefs.
Whether you’re a chef, traveler, or legacy-seeker, this conference invites you to sit at the table. It’s a chance to help redefine the flavor of Black success.