As a big Southern city, Charlotte has a large African-American population. But many aren’t very in touch with the culture and traditions of “the motherland.” That is unless they’re familiar with Motherland Cuisine and Market in East Charlotte. For nearly two years, Motherland has been serving up African dishes, and offering up authentic groceries, products, and attire in the adjoining market.
"We’ve been growing through word of mouth,” said Adedola Wey, who owns the business with husband Leonard. “We want to serve all ethnic groups—like how Charlotte is.”
The Weys are natives of Nigeria, and after living in Los Angeles and then Greensboro, they moved to Charlotte in 2004. Leonard had an investment business in L.A. called Motherland, and when they started to build their lives here, they decided to enter the restaurant industry. “I was always cooking for lots of people,” Adedola said.
Now she’s cooking for even more people, as the restaurant serves lunch and dinner six days a week. Among the popular items are jollof rice, moin-moin (blended, spicy black-eyed peas), plantains, meat pie, and puff-puff (sweet bread often referred to as an African doughnut). And the chin-chin, which are mini, fried crackers, are such a favorite among patrons that they’re pre-packaged and sold as snacks. In the market, the setup resembles a small corner store you would find in cities like New York that have a large African population. The shelves are filled with spices and raw ingredients such as jerk seasoning, curry powder, egg plant, palm nut, African yam, and ukazi leaves.
“Most African dishes are cooked from scratch,” Adedola explained of her store’s selection. “When you have a large family, it’s better to cook. If you have time, it saves money.”
- Profile written by Jarvis Holliday