Welcome!

Come have a taste of authentic West African flavors at

114 W Green St, Ithaca, NY 14850

Close-up of a plate with fried rice, plantains, and a piece of fried meat, with a tray of other food in the background.
Five glasses filled with red wine or sparkling juice on a tray.

Reservations available:

Special Afrobeats Brunch Experience on the 1st Sunday of each month!

We also do pop-ups at Ithaca Farmers Market (Steamboat Landing, 545 3rd St, Ithaca, NY 14850), stay tuned for updates from our newsletter and socials!

A plate with rice, a meatball, and mixed vegetables including carrots, peppers, and cabbage, served with a curry sauce.
Two glasses of red beverage with ice cubes on a white plate.
Small glass bowls filled with dollops of creamy white dip, each topped with a crispy, orange-colored chip.
A person is serving food from a stainless steel tray with a red-handled utensil, in a buffet setting. The food appears to be a red, seasoned, ground meat or beans dish. Additional trays with similar dishes are visible in the background.

CATERING

We cater individual meals and events and offer in-home culinary experiences or demos at your venue.

Group of eight people standing in a row, smiling, wearing aprons, in front of a yellow wall decorated with colorful textile art.

CLASSES & LESSONS

Chef Kuukua's warmth and passion will leave you inspired to cook West African food at home.

Two women standing behind a food stall labeled 'Asempe Kitchen' under a wooden shelter, with menu boards and cooking equipment in front of them.

VISIT US

Here's where you can find Chef Kuukua and Asempe Kitchen.

Curious to experience the culinary adventure of West African cuisine?

A smiling woman wearing a beige apron standing in a kitchen with red walls, crossed arms, and shelves with knives, condiments, and kitchen supplies.

Akwaaba! Welcome! My name is Kuukua. I arrived in the United States almost 3 decades ago. Since then I’ve tried to make a home for myself no matter where I am. Creating community is one of my passions, and a big part of that is food making and eating. I’ve decided to take this passion out of my kitchen and into my city. This is where you come in!

I’d love to help you create or sustain community through food. Let’s talk about your team, your upcoming event, or even your neighborhood – and dream up ways we can use Asempe Kitchen’s cuisine to connect cultures, and communicate with each other.

Meet Chef Kuukua

OUR VALUES

CURIOSITY

Asempe loosely translates to “Curiosity” in Fante, the mother tongue of Chef Kuukua Yomekpe. Asempe Kitchen offers traditional Ghanaian dishes, adapted for the western palate. Asempe cooks in olive oil instead of Palm oil, bringing a fresh approach to West African cuisine.

ADVENTURE

Asempe flirts with tradition by creating dips, curries, and stir-fries that spin off of the Ghanaian froyi (stews) and nkwan (soups) Chef Kuukua was raised on. For the more adventurous palate, Asempe offers Moko, their signature hot sauce of habeneros and serranos blended with garlic, ginger, onions and spices.

LEARNING

Asempe Kitchen caters parties, receptions, corporate, team-building and other events. Join Chef Kuukua in her kitchen, or invite her to infuse your kitchen with Asempe! Let us feed you lunch at your office luncheon or dinner in the comfort of your home.

  • I've eaten at their booth multiple times at the Ithaca Farmer's Market and never been disappointed! Most recently, I got the casava couscous, which was a great mixture of spices, flavors, and textures that kept me coming back for more. The spinach stew is so filling and delicious and paired beautifully with the delicacy of the saffron rice. finally, plantains are one of my favorite foods ever, and Asempe's plantains have only solidified their standing in my rankings-- so sweet and satisfying.

    Leora S.

  • We had a private family cooking class with Kuukua from Asempe Kitchen today and it was more than we could have asked for. Kuukua was so knowledgeable and the food was delicious. We loved sharing the experience of cooking and eating a meal with her. Our kids, aged 7 and 9, did much of the cooking and this was such a great experience for all of us. We would totally do this again and recommend Chef Kuukua's food or the cooking classes to anyone!

    Sara P.

  • As a travel and food writer, I can say that Asempe Kitchen Catering makes fresh, delicious, authentic, modern Ghanaian food. I’ve used them for multiple events, and they are reliable, professional, and fairly priced - plus it definitely makes my parties unique! Now I don’t even bother specifying a menu - I know I can count on Asempe to provide a variety of flavorful, handcrafted dishes to surprise and delight my guests. Chef Kuukua is fun, passionate and knowledgeable, and her homemade hot sauce is the truth!

    Faith A.

  • Took the cooking class at Salt City Market. We made peanut soup, fufu, and a couple of other dishes. The class was fun, engaging and interactive. I definitely recommend taking this class and hiring Chef Kuukua for catering.

    Shawni D.

  • Kuukua is wonderful. She really cares about her clients and wants to make sure they really experience African Culture and History through her food. So to me and my guest that had the pleasure to taste the delicious food, we felt extremely emotionally connected. I definitely recommend working with her and allowing her to cater any event.

    Makeda M.

“When we break bread with others/strangers, we begin to cross boundaries, which in turn creates a bond that removes ‘other’ from our lexicon even if momentarily. My family and I have been inviting others into our kitchen and to our table since I moved to the U.S. nearly 3 decades ago.”

- Chef Kuukua

A group of people in an art classroom, smiling and wearing aprons, with colorful artwork on the yellow walls behind them.

Visit Us

114 W. Green Street, Ithaca, NY
315-546-4545

Hours
Lunch: Thurs, Fri, Sun 11:30- 3 PM
Dinner: Thurs - Sat 5 - 9 PM
Afrobeats Brunch: First Sundays 11 - 3:30 (starting Feb 2025)

The exterior of a small restaurant with outdoor seating, yellow and wooden tables, large potted plants, an A-frame chalkboard sign, and a sidewalk in front.