Hot grills and soulful flavors brought the community together at Wean Park on Saturday for Youngstown's annual Soul Food Cook-Off, one of the highlights of the city’s Juneteenth weeklong celebration.
Hosted by the Youngstown Creative Collective, the event gave local chefs and small business owners the chance to showcase traditional recipes passed down through generations. Organizer Joseph Napier says it’s about more than just food.
“Soul food tells a story… it’s passed down from generation to generation,” Napier said. “It’s a way to help people stay rooted in their identity and who they are. We want to support local businesses and show how food can preserve culture.”
Among the competitors was Samara Thomas of Thomas Family Kitchen, who cooked in honor of her late mother.
“I’ve been cooking since I was eight years old,” she said. “My mother was a single mom, and we were latchkey kids. I was the cook, and food just became my love language.”
Her signature dish for the day? Baby back spare ribs and collard greens with smoked turkey—all made from scratch.
“This is my first time entering a food competition, and I’m really glad I did it,” Thomas added. “I’m doing it in memory of my mom, who passed away last year on June 14.”
Butch Boykin, who competed with his cousin, brought decades of experience to the grill.
“I’ve been cooking since I was seven. I cook in the rain, in the winter—don’t matter. I just love it,” he said. “My family all cooks too, and we stay booked up through September. It’s a family thing.”
Boykin emphasized the importance of passing down cooking skills, saying all five of his daughters and five sons know their way around the kitchen.
The event was peaceful, joyful, and filled with pride—showing that for many in Youngstown, soul food is more than a meal. It’s a memory, a connection, and a celebration of culture.
“Because sometimes,” as one attendee put it, “preserving culture starts with sharing a plate.”