MY Endurance, My conquest 2.0

“ I cannot and will never claim ownership of the hearts, the souls, and the lived experiences of Black British people. Those belong to all of us. This cultural & culinary category is Rooted in us, but open to everyone.’’

Black British Soul Food™ is a distinct culinary and cultural category. It represents the pride and celebration of diversity and community whilst recognising the synthesis of Black history and food migration.

I founded and trademarked Black British Soul Food™ as a distinct cultural brand as well as a shared identity marker, ensuring that it cannot be reduced to a generic label for our newer traditions to be recognised and shared.

Black British Soul Food™ is not about claiming other cuisines. It is a reflection and a manifestation of the Black British diasporic journey from Africa and the Caribbean to Britain, and how that story has always spoken through food.

This category provides a shared reference point to:

A place to honour identity, heritage, and togetherness. It’s about reminding ourselves that through collaboration, we can create something powerful, and our cultures receive vital recognition through greater visibility in British culture and society.

But Black British Soul Food™ is, and always will be, more than cuisine.

It is about identity, empowerment and building lasting foundations and legacy. It is about showing every child, every adult, and every elder that their story is part of Britain’s landscape and it matters.

— Manifesto by Geniveve Odili (25.08.2025)

Dedicated to my grandfather, Herbert A. Odili – The first man to conquer the River Niger (My Endurance. My Conquest, 1979).

And to every neurodivergent person who has ever felt they don’t belong: We do.