By Chanda Temple
People’s postures shifted and their eyes widened every time a dish by Aniyah Brown hit the table.
Perhaps it was the plump shrimp bathed in warm tones of coconut curry sauce. Or maybe it was the roasted chickpeas nestled against butternut squash and peppers in a satisfying sauce. Then again, it could have been the twice-fried chicken, accented with chopped mango and green sprigs.
Each entree was bright and bold, making you feel as though you’d found gold at the end of the rainbow.
But in reality, it was Aniyah’s vision of what a supper club dinner should be: a treasure you didn’t know you needed but one you were lucky you found.
Aniyah, owner of The Emerald Spoon private chef services in Birmingham, AL, wanted to find a way to get healthier meals on a larger scale to residents in communities where sit-down restaurants were rare. In April 2024, she partnered with REV Birmingham to present a supper club concept in the Woodlawn neighborhood.
It was a project packed with positivity and pride for the palate.
“I truly have the passion, it’s deep down inside of me, to be there for the people in my community,” she said. “So, I want to help them with food… and just overall, be that person in the community that people can trust.”
Here’s what Aniyah served:
- As soon as guests walked through the door, they received a mocktail, called Hibiscus Night. It’s a Jamaican tea that is steeped for a long time. It featured cinnamon; star anise, a Chinese spice; hibiscus; and ginger root. It tasted like Christmas in a glass: jolly and bright. “I made it on Christmas 2023 and people came back the next day and days after, trying to get more,” Aniyah said. “It’s one of the best drinks I’ve ever had in my life.”
- Mango Chutney Fried Chicken thighs were marinated overnight in a homemade tangy blend of pureed mango, yellow onion, spices and habanero from the Mi Pueblo supermarket in Homewood, AL. The thighs were twice fried. Aniyah topped the tempura-like coating with sea salt, which elevated the flavors of sweet and salty.
- Coconut Curry Shrimp is Aniyah’s best seller for her clients. The coconut curry sauce is the scene stealer in this dish because it is loaded with coconut milk, shrimp stock and curry. The sauce is so good that a lot of people ask her at her dinners if she sells it on the side. She does not. “I would rather sell the experience,” she said. “Every time I take this off the menu, I have to put it back on because someone asks for it.”
- Her Cornucopia, which featured roasted chickpeas, sweet bell peppers, butternut squash, purple onions and kale tossed in a zesty sauce, is served with Israeli couscous. “I wanted to use things that were seasonal at the time and have a fresh, warm salad, if you will, in between courses,” she said. “It’s a nice mix of vegetables that make you feel full, warm and want to take a nap afterwards.”
- Aniyah’s Root and Branch dessert featured baked white potatoes, baked sweet potatoes and baked Granny Smith apples topped with a homemade brown sugar accented with spices and mixed nuts. “This is something my grandmother would make for us when we were younger. It’s kind of like an apple pie, but she’d also put sweet potatoes in it,” Aniyah said. Also, the nuts were a substitute for streusel that usually comes on top of an apple pie and for the crust. “I definitely dialed back on the sugar since the apple and the sweet potato have their natural sugars. I want people to get used to the natural sugars of the world,” she said.
The constant clang of silverware against plates in the sold-out room signified that patrons had big appetites for the unexpected that evening.
“I really did enjoy the supper club, and I do think it’s a great way to showcase up-and-coming chefs,” said diner Adrienne Stitt. “I would follow her if she went to other spots because it was good and it was different.”
Based on the response of the supper club, Aniyah is now looking at offering additional supper club dining experiences by spring 2025. Once she finalizes plans, she will post them to her social media platforms. “I want people to know that good, clean cooking is simple and affordable,” Aniyah said.
Aniyah’s desire to serve comfort food with a healthy twist is what drives her.
After graduating from high school, the Birmingham native went to Miami to attend culinary school in 2019. Unfortunately, the school closed before she could graduate, and she returned to Birmingham in 2022. While home, she noticed how some areas were devoid of sit-down restaurants that offered affordable fresh food options. Thinking everyone should have the opportunity to experience good, fresh food, no matter their zip code, she started thinking of ways to show people how to take the food from stores and make healthy dishes at home or have people hire her to do it.
So, at the age of 22 years old In 2022, she started doing private dinners in homes and small events for businesses in Birmingham. “I wanted to find a way to bring a restaurant to someone’s home so they could have that intimate curated experience,” she said.
And because she wanted to connect her healthy concept to her company name, she knew the name had to incorporate the word, “green” some way. But she didn’t want to call the company “Green Eating” or anything like that. So, she thought of gem stones. Emerald stood out.
“I wanted food to seem precious and valuable,” she said. And that’s how she ended up with The Emerald Spoon.
“If I can plant the seed in someone’s else’s head that it’s easy to eat healthy and it’s affordable, as well, then, my work is done,” she said.
Running a business like this has not been easy for Aniyah. In fact, she said, it’s been an uphill battle.
“Right now, I’m trying to get the word out and inform people. It has not been of great monetary value. But I’m fine with that,” she said. “If I can just plant the seed in someone’s else’s head that it’s easy to eat healthy and it’s affordable, then, my work is done.”
The biggest impact her cooking has made has been on family members. Every Sunday, her family rotates cooking hosts. And every time dinner is at Aniyah’s home, she is changing their minds and their waistlines.
“I think I’ve encouraged them to stop eating fried and heavily processed foods,” she said. “Now they don’t like eating things from a can.”
Savor This! Aniyah said she only lacks a few online classes and she plans to return to culinary school one day. But currently, she’s focused on cooking for others and saving money for school. “Right now, I’m just trying to perfect my craft by working in kitchens, learning what I can, and hearing what I can from the community to see what I can improve on and what they’d like for me to incorporate into my business,” she said.
Sources for photos: REV Birmingham provided images of Aniyah Brown in white chef’s coat, first Cornucopia image and the shrimp curry. All other photos are by Chanda Temple.
Chanda Temple is an award-winning writer living in Birmingham, Ala. She blogs at http://www.chandatemplewrites.com. If you have a food story idea, email her at chandatemple@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram at @chandatemple.
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