Yusuf Bin-Rella

Yusuf is a chef at University of Wisconsin, Madison’s Dejope Residence Hall (Dejope translates to “Four Lakes” in the native Ho-Chunk language) and at TradeRoots Culinary Collective, a group of Afro-culinary genealogists exploring lineage through food that Bin-Rella co-founded with Devon Hamilton and Candy Flowers. Originally developed for a trip to Africa for a documentary with culinary genealogist Michael Twitty, TradeRoots was named after the trade roots of the African diaspora and foodways, challenging us to understand the sources of our cultural cuisines. “Take soul food, for example,” Yusuf says. “You wouldn’t have cornbread without corn — how did that story of corn begin?” TradeRoots now teaches Afro-culinary traditions to youth and students with pop-ups around Madison, including at Badger Rock Community Center.