In 2021, three small Caribbean-American nonprofit organizations stepped up to promote Caribbean cuisine on a national level during June, National Caribbean American Heritage Month (NCAHM). For some time, Caribbean Restaurant Week celebrations had been promoted at the local level going as far back as 2013 in the DMV (DC, Maryland and Virginia). The thinking was that Caribbean cuisine could be amplified through a national campaign, labeled National Caribbean American Restaurant Week (NCARW). These partnering organizations were the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS), the National Caribbean-American Food & Foodways Alliance (NCAFFA), and Deh Abroad Village. Members of the Advisory Councils of
these NCARW partners, some who worked with restaurants supporting local Caribbean celebrations offered their advice, which has been important to expanding NCARW.
In 2025, NCAFFA and ICS have continued this Campaign, which aims to highlight cuisine as a gateway, or in restaurant industry parlance, a “main” or “entrée” to appreciating and understanding Caribbean history and culture. Continuing this analogy, this initiative comes with two “sides” —the opportunity to “explore, indulge and enjoy” this world-flavored cuisine and to support development in our local communities.
