Not all recipes she publishes are filled with sweet potatoes, she explains, “but they are all made with a generous sprinkling of soul.”
Born and raised in Atlanta, Jenné draws inspiration from the city’s rich blend of cultures and cuisines, weaving global influences into her dishes while paying homage to her Southern roots. What began as a food blog in 2010 has blossomed into a thriving brand including several cookbooks, a YouTube channel, and a podcast, all centered on her signature approach to plant-based soul food.
Heritage is very important to me. I often hear that Americans have no food culture, but I would disagree. Soul food, which encompasses many regional African American cuisines, has a rich history in this country. I grew up eating soul food at family gatherings, holidays, and Sunday dinners, and I’ve used that cultural tradition to influence all of the recipes I create.
Her latest cookbook, Vegan Vibes: 100 Soulful Plant-Based Recipes for Healthy Everyday Meals, is a celebration of the traditions and places that have shaped her food journey, offering vibrant, easy meals made entirely with plants. The book is filled with an array of unexpected, flavor-packed dishes showcasing Jenné’s ability to seamlessly blend culinary influences to create new, innovative meals that remain grounded in their cultural roots.
As a Black food creator, Jenné sees soul food as a true reflection of American food culture, which influences all the recipes she creates. With Vegan Vibes, Jenné invites everyone to the table to honor familial traditions while celebrating the power of plants and bold global flavors. We talked to Jenné about her journey as a food creator, the inspiration for her new cookbook, along with her love of sweet potatoes and her approach to making easy, soulful recipes that are exciting and full of flavor.
How did you get started on the path to becoming a recipe developer and content creator? What has your journey been like since you started Sweet Potato Soul?
I started my blog Sweet Potato Soul as a hobby in 2010. I discovered food blogs while in college in 2007, and as my passion for cooking grew, I dreamed of someday having my own blog. Back then blogging was not a career path, so I didn’t have any aspirations of turning it into a business. However, I loved developing and sharing recipes, so even as I ran a business as a private chef and cooking instructor, I continued to post to my blog and social media.
Eventually I caught the attention of some paying brands who wanted to work with me on sponsored content, and in that same year I got my first book deal. It was then, in 2016, that I turned Sweet Potato Soul into my full-time business. Since then, I have continued to grow the brand with cookbooks, a YouTube channel, and now a podcast. I’m still as committed and passionate about Sweet Potato Soul as I was back when it was just my hobby.
Tell us about your love of sweet potatoes. How have they become a central part of your brand, and what are your favorite sweet potato innovations?
Since before I can remember, sweet potatoes have always been my favorite food. My Nana would bake them every week, and a simple sweet potato with a slab of butter was the most delicious meal in the world to me. I don’t use them in all of my recipes, but I do have quite a few recipes with them. Some of my favorite creations are my black-eyed pea sweet potato curry, classic sweet potato pie (made vegan), and sweet potato chocolate muffins.
Can you talk about your biggest source of inspiration for your most recent cookbook, Vegan Vibes?
My biggest source of inspiration for my new cookbook was my move back to Atlanta after being gone for 15 years. I love the multicultural influence of the food here. Shopping at my favorite grocery stores I encounter produce and spices from all over the world, and I found it so exciting and inspiring to tie those flavors together with southern classics. For example, my gochujang corn ribs, jerk sweet potato fries, and red bean tacos. You can see some of Jenné’s recipes on sweetpotatosoul.com.
As a Black food creator, how does your heritage and upbringing influence your approach to the recipes you create?
Heritage is very important to me. I often hear that Americans have no food culture, but I would disagree. Soul food, which encompasses many regional African American cuisines, has a rich history in this country. I grew up eating soul food at family gatherings, holidays, and Sunday dinners, and I’ve used that cultural tradition to influence all of the recipes I create.
What is the biggest takeaway you want readers to have about your cookbook and work at large?
I love to remind people who are new to plant-based cooking that spices are at the center of all cuisines, and spices are, by-and-large, already vegan. That means you can replicate the flavors of your favorite foods by using the exact same spices, and plants. Many plants and mushrooms can even be used to replicate meat. You’ll find loads of recipes in the cookbook that demonstrate this well–– Tofu Salmon, Good & Dirty Rice, and Korean Pulled Shroom Sandwich–– to name a few.
Where can our readers find out more about you and your work? And where can they purchase Vegan Vibes?
Readers can find my free recipes at sweetpotatosoul.com. I also have a great YouTube channel and podcast, as well as Instagram and TikTok, all called Sweet Potato Soul. My cookbook is available at all major retailers, and at your local bookstore.
