Kiano Moju on ‘Africali’ and Redefining African Cuisine Globally

Born and raised in Oakland, California, Moju grew up straddling cultures. The book is more than just a collection of recipes; it's a heartfelt exploration of identity, culture, and the deep ties food creates. From spending summers on her grandparents' ranch in Kenya, where she learned the art of farm-to-table cooking, to carving a space for African-inspired cuisine in a Western-dominated food industry, Moju's path has been defined by creativity, resilience, and a bold culinary vision.

"This book is meant to reflect what happens in my kitchen, hence the subtitle Recipes for My Jikoni (kitchen in Kiswahili)," Moju tells OkayAfrica. "This is how I cook, and it's how I connect with where I come from."

Moju previously worked as a creative video producer at BuzzFeed's Tasty, where her recipes garnered over 100 million views. She also foundedJikoni Recipe Archive, a nonprofit documenting African and Black culinary traditions, andJikoni Studios, her Los Angeles-based production company, creating content for Tastemade, the Food Network, and more.

In an exclusive interview with OkayAfrica during her visit to Kenya, Moju discusses her inspiration for Africali, the challenges of writing a cookbook rooted in the diaspora, and her hopes for redefining African cuisine globally.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

OkayAfrica: You hosted thefinal stop of the Africali book tour in Nairobi. Why was Nairobi an essential stop on your book tour?

Congratulations on the cookbook. What inspired you to write Africali?

I've always been drawn to food media and aspired to do cooking shows or work for a food magazine. I started a food blog during my bachelor's degree and kept with it after graduating, deciding this was what I wanted to do. Food media in the States is heavily Western-focused, and working in the space made it clear how underrepresented African cuisine is. And so, being an African from both coasts, I know how wonderful the food is.

Africali started as a term to define my culinary style—African roots with a California twist. It came from a music genre I identified with immediately, and I thought, "This is me—an African born in California." For a first cookbook, like an artist's debut album, you want to say, "This is who I am, and this is my perspective." For me, that's Africali.

How did you balance the different culinary influences in your book?

I think many chefs from multi-heritage backgrounds naturally mix their influences. However, some choose one side commercially, like focusing only on Kenyan or Nigerian cuisine. For me, it's impossible to separate them. Growing up, I had to adjust recipes to suit everyone. For example, the Nigerian method of cooking meat, which involves drying out meat to preserve it, didn't work for my Kenyan family. Even as a young cook, I balanced both cultures at the dinner table, intertwining them in my kitchen.

With over 90 recipes in the cookbook, it was great seeing your Nigerian, Kenyan, and California influences. But you also have recipes like Berbere Braised Pork Tacos and Yassa Poluet Summer Rolls. Your book also touches on other African cuisines beyond Kenya and Nigeria. How did that come about?

The book reflects what happens in my kitchen—hence the subtitle, Recipes for My Jikoni. Growing up in California, I ate Ethiopian food more than any other African cuisine. Later, in university, I learned Senegalese cooking from a close friend, and those influences naturally became part of my kitchen. In the diaspora, we find each other, share our cultures, and exchange ideas, which enriches our cooking.

What does food mean to you as someone who lives in the diaspora?

Food keeps you connected to your roots. When you live away from your heritage, meals become a powerful way to maintain that link. I feel lucky to have grown up close to my culture, but for many diasporans, food is their bridge to home.

With Africali, I wanted to curate dishes that are accessible anywhere. As an immigrant, you often face missing ingredients and need substitutions. Kenyan recipes are easier for me to recreate because their ingredients overlap with Mexican and Indian cuisines, making them widely available. Nigerian food, however, relies on regionally specific items that are harder to source. I focused on Nigerian recipes that could still be made anywhere, even without access to a West African grocery store.

Given the different cultures you represent, how did you decide how to break down the book?

There are three types of recipes in Africali. The first is traditional dishes curated to use ingredients you can find anywhere without needing a specialty store. Then there are recipes where African cuisine gets a California twist, like Mukimo Croquettes. Finally, there are dishes where California influences African flavors, like Thai green curry with plantain.

Thai food is a staple in Los Angeles, where I live, and after learning to make green curry, it became a favorite in my kitchen. One day, I wanted the dish to feel heartier, so I used green plantains as a starchy base, similar to how pumpkin or squash might be used. It worked beautifully—an example of how my cooking blends cultures naturally.

Africali is a success. How do you feel about its reception?

I'm proud of putting everything into this book to make it delicious, culturally resonant for those who know, and inviting for those who don't. With any project, you leave it all on the table, put it into the world, and see what happens. And so there's a part of me that's like, "You guys are paying attention to what we're doing here in food!" And the other part of me is like, "Yeah, that seems about right because this is really good!" It's amazing to see people paying attention to African food, but honestly, it's overdue.

Africa is still underrepresented globally in food and culture. Ask someone to name five Italian dishes—they can. Ask them to name five from the entire African continent—it's harder unless they're from here.

Do you have a go-to ingredient?

Cardamom. I can't bake without it—it's such a wonderful flavor. You can put too much nutmeg, you can put too much cinnamon, but you can never have enough cardamom! For savory dishes, garlic-ginger paste is a staple in my kitchen. I make it in bulk and freeze it so it's always ready to use.

What meal will be on your Christmas table this year?

I will be spending Christmas with my family in Kenya, and they will want to try dishes from the book. If I cook something else, I'm in trouble! I plan on making lentil nuggets as a snack, Short ribs in stew as the hero dish, and sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

What's next for you?

I'm finally launching my own YouTube channel to continue the Africali story through a digital cooking series. I'm also working on bringing African-made kitchen and tableware to people's homes. There's so much to explore, and I'm excited about what's ahead.