In the vibrant heart of Freetown’s historic Murray Town, a remarkable culinary endeavor unfolds at Cole Street Guest House, where Chef Miatta Marke blends her legal acumen with her culinary passion to create a unique dining experience focused on Sierra Leone’s traditional cuisine.
A Transition from Law to Culinary Arts
Chef Miatta Marke’s transformative journey from the structured corridors of criminal justice advocacy in the UK to the aromatic kitchens of Sierra Leone encapsulates a profound shift from law to culinary arts, driven by deep personal passion. “Cooking has always been a manifestation of my creative side—the creation and adaptation of recipes, the plating of food, the fusion of different culinary inspirations,” Miatta Marke describes. Her legal career, rich with the complexities of Hague-based international humanitarian law and UK-based gender-based advocacy and domestic homicide reviews, laid a foundation for disciplined creativity, yet it was in the kitchen where her heart found its true calling.
Reflecting on her decision to return to Sierra Leone, Miatta Marke states, “I thought I’m too old or I don’t have the inclination to convert to the Sierra Leone bar, and I didn’t really have an inclination because at that time my legal advocacy career was centered exclusively on gender-based violence which was psychologically taxing… So I thought, what can I do that I enjoy that can also be combined with assisting my mother in renovating my childhood home?” This introspection led her to reconfigure the family home into a bustling guest house, with the restaurant swiftly becoming the core of the enterprise.
Chef Miatta’s narrative is not just about changing professions; it’s about embracing her roots and transforming a personal space into a cultural haven. Through her dishes, she nurtures and hosts, continuing a legacy of warmth and care deeply ingrained in her family traditions. This seamless integration of her past experiences and her passion for culinary arts has established Cole Street Guest House as a culinary beacon in Sierra Leone, celebrating local flavors while fostering community and continuity.
Grandmother’s Legacy in the Kitchen
Chef Miatta Marke draws profound inspiration from her grandmother, Lati Hyde-Forster, a trailblazer who was the first Sierra Leonean woman to graduate from Fourah Bay College. Lati Hyde-Forster’s influence extends beyond her groundbreaking achievements; her kitchen was a haven of creativity and warmth. Chef Miatta recalls, “I was very much inspired by my grandmother… her kitchen left me with memories of safety, of being nurtured, of love.” These early experiences sparked a passion in Chef Miatta to recreate and innovate on the recipes imparted to her.
From a young age, Miatta began compiling a binder full of her grandmother’s recipes, noting, “From the age of 19, I have like a huge binder of recipes from her and then from other members of the family.” Lati’s culinary legacy, characterized by simple yet uniquely tweaked dishes, deeply influences the menu at Cole Street, where traditional flavors are celebrated with a modern twist.
Miatta also credits her mother, Dr Isa Hyde-Forster, for her culinary influence, particularly in adapting traditional dishes with creative twists, like adding tamarind to bulgur porridge instead of milk, using honey for sweetness. This practice of tweaking traditional recipes for enhanced flavor profiles is a hallmark of Chef Miatta’s cooking style today.
Moreover, Lati Hyde Forster’s commitment to community and empowerment, particularly through hiring and training local staff from challenging backgrounds, has shaped Miatta’s approach to running Cole Street. Chef Miatta honors her grandmother’s legacy not only through food but also through her commitment to empowering her staff, reflecting, “She was very patient about teaching domestic staff, cooks, the basic skills and funding their education…that was very much inspiration in the business plan for Cole St.”
Through her culinary creations at Cole Street, Miatta Marke continues to weave the rich tapestry of her family’s legacy, blending the nurturing environment of her grandmother’s kitchen with the sophisticated flair of modern gastronomy.
Sourcing Ingredients Locally
At Cole Street Guest House, Chef Miatta Marke embraces a staunch commitment to sustainability by integrating local and organic ingredients into her culinary creations. “I source my ingredients using local suppliers—a poultry very close to Cole St. for eggs and local fisherwomen for our seafood,” she elaborates. This approach extends to all aspects of her sourcing, from vegetables grown organically on family land to meats from family-owned suppliers. Marke highlights the deep connection between her culinary practices and her commitment to community support and environmental stewardship, emphasizing, “Farm to table ethos is really important to us.” Her focus is not only on the quality and freshness of the ingredients but also on supporting the local economy and practicing responsible sourcing that aligns with seasonal availability.
Cultural Celebration through Cuisine
At Cole Street Guest House, Chef Miatta Marke passionately showcases Sierra Leone’s rich cultural tapestry through her culinary creations. “I’m committed to celebrating the cultural history of Sierra Leone in its entirety,” Marke asserts, emphasizing how her menu reflects the nation’s diverse heritage. From traditional ingredients like palm oil and dried fish to regional specialties rarely seen in the capital, each dish is a tribute to the unique flavors of Sierra Leone.
Marke further enriches the cultural dialogue by incorporating elements that connect Sierra Leone to the wider world, noting, “The legacy of the slave trade… makes our food quite different from other countries in West Africa.” This historical context brings a depth to her dishes, linking Creole culinary influences to similar traditions found in South America and the Southern United States.
Raised with a profound appreciation for local traditions thanks to extensive travels around Sierra Leone with her mother, Marke brings these local and regional cuisines to both local and international patrons, promoting pride in Sierra Leonean heritage. “It’s about pride, being proud of being Sierra Leonean, being proud of our flavors,” she explains. This celebration extends to the guest house’s décor, where locally crafted furniture and materials underscore her commitment to local craftsmanship and employment. Through Cole Street, Miatta Marke serves food but also serves as a custodian of culture, using her culinary platform to educate and inspire pride in Sierra Leonean heritage while supporting the local community.
Chef Miatta’s Menu Philosophy
Chef Miatta Marke’s approach to curating the menu at Cole Street Guest House is deeply personal and creatively charged. “I choose recipes that have the most appealed to me, are the most drawn to me and that really resonate with me in terms of my childhood and my adult culinary development,” she explains. This philosophy leads to innovative dishes like Egusi and agidi, reimagined with a fusion twist, featuring sorghum fermented pancakes and a seafood platter enriched with sour egusi-inspired salsa.
Her personal favorite, cassava bread, echoes nostalgic memories of Sierra Leone. Marke recounts, “It’s a memory of a flavor that haunted me for nearly 20 years while I was living in the UK.” Inspired by similar uses in South America, she has reimagined this staple with unique, contrasting flavors, making it a beloved item on her menu.
Empowerment through Employment at Cole Street
At Cole Street Guest House, Chef Miatta Marke’s commitment to empowerment extends far beyond the kitchen. She has established a robust training program that not only covers culinary skills but also incorporates financial literacy, civic responsibilities, and personal development. “All staff, mainly unskilled men and women, undergo a three-week induction that includes basics like hygiene, customer service, and upselling,” explains Miatta Marke. This program also tackles broader life skills, such as financial planning and family dynamics.
Miatta Marke proudly shares success stories from her program, highlighting how these opportunities transform lives: “Our star member of staff, Fanta, left school at 12 but now manages our sales figures and administrative documents. We also support entrepreneurial endeavors among our staff, providing start-up grants and buying produce from their new ventures, ensuring they have a sustainable path forward.” Through these initiatives, Marke not only nurtures culinary talent but fosters a sense of agency and independence among her staff, making Cole Street a catalyst for community upliftment.
Cole Street is more than just a dining destination; it’s a beacon of social change, particularly empowering women and the underserved in the community. Chef Miatta Marke’s comprehensive staff induction program not only teaches essential skills like hygiene and customer service but also imparts knowledge on financial independence and civic responsibilities. Through this commitment to her staff’s holistic growth, Miatta nurtures a culture of empowerment and pride, establishing Cole Street as a paragon of sustainable business practices in Sierra Leone.
Facing Challenges
Maintaining high standards at Cole Street involves surmounting several significant challenges, as shared by Chef Miatta Marke. “Maintenance has really been a key challenge for us,” she reveals, pointing out the difficulties in property upkeep, especially during the rainy season which heavily affects paintwork and furnishings. Marke and her business partner Matt are diligent in their maintenance regime, but delegating these tasks remains a challenge.
In the kitchen, maintaining food standards and presentation is equally demanding. “The concept of art in relation to food is a challenging concept for a lot of our staff,” Marke admits, underscoring the continuous training needed to align her team with the high culinary standards she sets. This includes extensive hygiene practices, like triple-boiling water for vegetable washing, which some staff find excessive.
Marke’s commitment to high standards extends to service quality. While most staff members embrace their roles with pride and respect for the established guidelines, ensuring consistent adherence to these standards requires constant vigilance and has a significant impact on the operation, particularly when Marke is not on site. Overall, these challenges require a meticulous approach to management and training to ensure that Cole Street remains a beacon of quality in Sierra Leone’s dining scene.
Vision for Expansion and Global Recognition
Chef Miatta Marke is setting her sights beyond the bustling activity of Cole Street Guest House to a visionary project along the coastline. She imagines a beachfront property that melds local and international flavors, a place where West African culinary traditions meet global influences. Inspired by the diasporic connections of Sierra Leonean and Nigerian cuisines to places like the Bahia region in Mexico and forested regions in Guatemala, her dream is to create a boutique guesthouse that features a seafood-based menu celebrating these rich, intertwined culinary histories.
This ambitious expansion plans to bring Sierra Leonean cuisine to the global stage while fostering local development. “I’d love to have a beachfront property and probably more accessible financially an eatery somewhere in town,” Marke expresses her aspirations. She is also exploring opportunities as far afield as Scandinavia, ensuring that the essence of Cole Street’s brand—its commitment to heritage and innovation—reaches a worldwide audience. Through her dedication and innovative culinary approach, Chef Miatta Marke, together with her husband, Mathew Short, aims to make Cole Street a symbol of Sierra Leone’s rich culinary heritage and its potential for global acclaim.
Chef Miatta Marke’s approach transcends mere culinary art; it embodies a commitment to nurturing creativity and patience within the culinary profession in Sierra Leone. She advises aspiring chefs to focus on mastering technical basics and to develop a repertoire of unique signature dishes through diligent practice. This foundation, she believes, is crucial for genuine innovation and for chefs to establish their own distinct space in the industry. Reflecting the success of her philosophy, Cole Street Guest House has been recognized as one of the top 21 restaurants worldwide to visit in 2024, the only one listed from Sub-Saharan Africa. This accolade not only highlights the global caliber of her culinary venture but also underscores the transformative impact of her mentorship and commitment to culinary excellence.