Hardie Grant pre-empts Sakarah's 'fresh approach' to the cookbook

Hardie Grant has pre-empted food writer and chef Keshia Sakarah’s "utterly essentially project" Caribe’: A Cookbook with History. 

Commissioning editor Eve Marleau acquired world all language rights from Emma Bal at The Madeleine Milburn Literary, TV & Film Agency. The book will be published in autumn 2024. 

Caribe’ will feature recipes from across the Caribbean and will take readers through the colonial origins of each of the dishes. By weaving together history and travel, with dishes such as Haitian independence soup joumou and boulette, Sakarah brings a "fresh approach to the cookbook which seeks to nourish the reader in more ways than one by facing the complex connections forged through empire and colonisation". 

Sakarah is a chef and owner of the pop-up restaurant Caribe’ in Brixton, London, and was named as one of the 100 top influential women in hospitality 2021 by Code Hospitality.

She commented: "I have been passionate about food and culture for as long as I can remember. To now have the opportunity to showcase both together, in a cookbook which also celebrates my history and heritage brings me such joy. I am so excited to be working with Eve Marleau at Hardie Grant, who will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the project and support in bringing this in-depth look into Caribbean foodways to wider audiences. I am so grateful to Emma Bal and the team at Madeleine Milburn for helping me achieve this wonderful opportunity." 

Marleau added: "To be working with Keshia on such an ambitious, comprehensive, and utterly essential project is a dream come true. I can’t wait to help her bring the book to life."