Black History Month: Soul food ties Black culture to African roots

MILWAUKEE - Customers may not know Chef Bennie, but they can bet their bottom dollar they know his food.

 "It comes from my personality," said Benjamin Smith, chef at Daddy's Soul Food and Grille (754 N. 27th Street #3552).

"Feelings as fuel"

The backstory:

Smith owns the soul food restaurant on the near north side of Milwaukee. It is where he uses his feelings as fuel.

"It's the love we put in, and it's a sincere love," said Chef Bennie. "That's dedication to what we do."

Chef Bennie

Chef Bennie's dad paved the way for him. He, too, was a chef.

"I think I had a love for it when I watched my dad," said Chef Bennie. 

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Customer cravings

His customers, like Lorraine Coleman, have similar roots. Her mother taught her to prepare soul food.

"I cook at home," said Coleman. "The dressing and the greens and the cornbread."

Maurice Wright, another person who frequents Daddy's Soul Food and Grille, also learned from his mother. Dressing, greens, turnips, chitterlings and cornbread are some of his favorite entrées. His favorite is mac ‘n’ cheese.

Comfort food

Dig deeper:

It's all comfort food that comes from an uncomfortable place.

"Soul food originates on the plantation," said Kidiocus Carroll, Assistant professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

 Historians said soul food comes from the deep south, where slaves made meals out of leftovers, cornmeal or scraps of meat their owners left behind.

"They didn't get the most wholesome part of the hog, but they made use of what they could that not only had a great flavor profile but was informed by a lot of memory," said Professor Carroll.

Kidiocus Carroll

It was memories of their homeland.

"That is what I love about our culture," said Chef Bennie. "We can take something from nothing and turn it into something miraculous."

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It's also a rich history the chef passes down with every helping and a bond he loves to share in his melting pot.

"Police officers come in here, Marquette students, the Bucks, Caucasian, Chinese; we all have that common thread-that unity of family," said Chef Bennie.

Chef Bennie

Chef Bennie said one of the biggest misconceptions about soul food is that it is unhealthy. He said he uses turkey, instead of pork, as well as low sodium, to ensure all customers leave satisfied.