‘It’s UATL’ podcast: Chef Empress dishes on Black veganism in 2026

Chef Empress knows that the relationship between Black folks and food is complicated.

On one hand, Black communities have a long history of creating culinary classics with natural ingredients, often out of necessity or lack of resources.

Now, with an abundance of processed, disease-triggering options, more Black consumers are looking for healthier alternatives. According to the American Heart Association, 8% of Black consumers report having vegan or vegetarian diets. That’s compared to 3% of the U.S. population in general.

A celebrity vegan chef, Empress leans on her Caribbean roots for recipes. Despite the fact that more restaurants and chefs are meeting Black folks where they are, there’s a long way to go in terms of education.

“A way that I like to differentiate it is, if it’s in the freezer or frozen section in a grocery store, that does not mean that you’re eating healthy vegan food,” she said.

At the same time, veganism and eating naturally are ingrained in Black history, which is why we’re seeing it become more prevalent. “I believe it would have a lot to do with going back to our roots or us feeling like we would like to return to more of a natural way of doing things as our ancestors were,” she adds.