Returning to our roots
Source: WLTX.com
Eating plant-based is nothing new to Folami Geter, the 41-year-old owner and founder of black-owned vegan eatery, A Peace of Soul, in Columbia, South Carolina. Folami was raised vegetarian by her parents in South Carolina before it was cool or hip, characterized as the kid who always got weird looks at the lunch table. Vegan options at restaurants were few and far between. The Impossible Whopper wasn’t even a thought; french fries were most likely your only option. And of course, a sad side salad.
“Back in the 80s, it definitely wasn't a trend, it was something way out of the ordinary. My parents practiced yoga and were just kind of metaphysical folks who were raised traditionally but saw that there was a better way,” Folami says.
Folami has been vegan for over 20 years, making the transition to prioritize her health and refusing to turn a blind eye to the animal cruelty associated with industrial agriculture. Many others have come to make this decision as well; today over 9.6 million Americans are vegan, marking a 300% increase in the last 15 years. With her background and familial history, Folami made the perfect candidate to create a restaurant representative of this new wave of veganism and her Southern roots.
In 2005, her father established the first vegan cafe in downtown Columbia - Lamb’s Bread Vegan Soul Food. Folami dabbled in various jobs, working in her father’s restaurant on and off, running an African cultural shop, and trying out corporate America (yeah no thanks she adds), before deciding to buy Lamb’s Bread in 2014 and completely transform it in 2017 into what it’s known as today - A Peace of Soul.
She sought to modernize it, rebrand it, create something that was current and representative of herself. She wanted to introduce veganism to a wide range of people by providing healthier versions of the comforting soul food dishes they’re familiar with, replacing the meat with plant-based alternatives. “Rather than shock you with salads every day, you need to eat where you recognize the food, you recognize the taste, you recognize the flavors, but you aren't consuming the animal products.”
Source: Experience Columbia SC
The transformation was no easy feat. The building hadn’t been renovated in years; what was meant to take three to six months ended up taking over a year. Determined not to lose the audience they had cultivated, Folami got a food truck. From 2018 to late 2019, they toured the Southeast while the restaurant was being renovated, bringing their vegan soul food fare all across the region.
“It was a blessing in disguise because it gave us far more visibility. Down here, we're a household name. Now people will come through Columbia just to see us,” she proudly states. A Peace of Soul’s patrons include people of all races and backgrounds eager to get a taste of their infamous vegan fried chicken sandwich, collard greens, or barbecue spareribs. All of their “meats” are composed of a mixture of soy and wheat-based protein, and their “mac and cheese” is made from a nut-based sauce; yet she’s perfected her recipes so they don’t skimp out on flavor or texture. “To show up at a food truck festival that isn't vegan centered at all and have the longest line...people really love the food. It’s a beautiful thing,” Folami remarks.
Most of her clientele isn’t vegan, probably about 70/30 she says. “I just have regular folks who want to enjoy some good food.” As more people become open to plant-based cuisine, they begin to also recognize the benefits it has for one’s health and the health of the planet. In fact, Folami takes sustainability into account when prepping and sourcing ingredients. Twice a week, she gets deliveries from the local farmers’ market and sources the rest of her fresh produce from a local black female farmer. Their menu changes daily based on what ingredients they have available.
At A Peace of Soul, Folami is not trying to reinvent the wheel, or exclude people, or shock them with unfamiliar flavors or ingredients. Food is ultimately a tool to bring people together. Her food just happens to be vegan. She doesn’t push her way of eating on anyone, nor does she want to, arguing it's often better to lead by example anyway. “We're not recruiting for veganism, we're just offering an option.”
But, Folami posits that eating a plant-based diet is nothing new for African-Americans. It is merely a return to ancestral ways of eating. “If we examine history, we will see that this is the way we've eaten for centuries. We've always been a people that lived off of the land. We’re just returning to our roots.” She’s simply planted another seed.
