We bring people together through authentic local and international dishes. We provide culinary consultation and offer the best catering services.
Our Story
It all started with a dream and a passion for food. “Our families come from Ghana, West Africa; and we have lived on three continents: Africa, Europe and now North America. Chef Isaac has been in the food business from his childhood, learning first from his mother, Martha, about different foods and the way they promote healing and health. Martha was known in her village as a healer, using herbs, spices, dried fruits, and vegetables as healing elements in the body. Isaac learned marvelous things about using these spices and flavorings from her priceless legacy of tried and true wisdom, delivered with a caring heart.
Our Journey
Kalahari Foods, MN began in 2007 in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and was born out of our love for cooking, using authentic flavors that spoke of our homeland. What started out as a way to bring our friends and neighbors together around food has turned into a premier source of exquisite, delicious authentic food in this area. Today, we continue to gather diverse groups of people together around authentic flavors of our heritage and those from other parts of the globe.
Meet our Team
We are proud to provide our customers with a unique and satisfying culinary experience while maintaining the highest standards in food, quality, and customer service
Isaac Owens
Isaac Owens brings more than three decades of experience in food service and hospitality, shaped by a lifelong relationship with food, agriculture, culture and community across Africa, Europe and North America.
His culinary foundation began in Ghana, where he learned from his mother, Martha, a nutritionist who understood the importance of herbs, spices, dried fruits, vegetables and traditional foods in nourishing the body. Those early lessons continue to shape how Isaac approaches food today. Isaac believes that, “food is medicine” ,and that food can nourish not only the body, but also connection, culture, memory and community.
As the creator of Kalahari Foods’ menus, Isaac draws on historic and traditional recipes to create flavorful, approachable food experiences that introduce guests to global flavors while honoring their origins.
His expertise extends well beyond the kitchen. Isaac brings extensive experience in foodservice operations, hospitality, purchasing, menu development, supplier relationships, food safety, business management and strategic sourcing. He is also an experienced farmer and advocate for emerging farmers, with knowledge spanning crop diversity, sustainable agriculture, livestock, land stewardship and agribusiness.
This gives Isaac a distinctive perspective across the entire food journey,from soil to supplier, supplier to kitchen, and kitchen to table.
Through Akwaaba, The Art of a Good Welcome, Isaac helps hospitality organizations discover global ingredients, identify suppliers, develop distinctive food experiences and translate knowledge about their guests into thoughtful menus and memorable hospitality.
He understands the food. He understands where it comes from. And he understands how food can make people feel welcome.
Rosemond Sarpong (Rosie) Owens
Rosemond Sarpong Owens is a writer, storyteller and strategist rooted in African culture and the belief that a good welcome begins with understanding people.
A public health leader and racial equity strategist with more than 25 years of experience, Rosemond has spent her career helping organizations understand the people they serve, recognize differences in needs and experiences, and turn insight into meaningful, practical change. Her work spans health, culture, communications, organizational strategy and community engagement.
At Akwaaba, Rosemond brings that people-centered and culturally informed lens to hospitality. She helps hospitality organizations understand their guests and translate what they learn into better food, sourcing, service, communication, amenities and guest experiences.
Her perspective on hospitality has been shaped over more than two decades of attending events, traveling, dining and observing what makes people feel genuinely welcomed,and what makes them feel overlooked. She believes the difference often begins with a simple question: Do you really know your guests?
That question is at the heart of Akwaaba: Know Your Guests. Welcome Them Well.
Sarah Owens
Our Impact Project
SALG aims to improve the quality of education in Africa through provision of literacy materials that enable students to acquire knowledge and achieve their potential. The poorest performing schools in Ghana will be equipped with books and educational materials. SALG intends to extend their reach to equip community libraries with books and internet access, to serve as hubs of learning and enterprise in the poorest communities. This is made possible through a partnership with Books for Africa. Learn more about SALG at Giving with Kalahari