For This NYC Chef, Celebrating Juneteenth Begins in a Bowl of Ramen

Rasheeda Purdie crafts a meal that’s imaginative and celebratory

For the first time in American history, more people — Black and non-Black — are formally and vocally recognizing Juneteenth, a holiday that commemorates the true end of slavery in the United States. Major companies designate it as a paid day off; there’s national momentum to make Juneteenth a federal holiday; and Black Americans around the country are finding new and creative ways to celebrate, especially through food.

New York City chef and ramen enthusiast Rasheeda Purdie is doing just that through an immersive, at-home Juneteenth ramen experience. An alum of Adá Supper Club, an NYC-based delivery series that celebrates Black and female chefs, Purdie is using her experience in Afro Asian fusion to craft a meal that showcases imagination and more.