"The aromas from her mother's traditional Tigrayan stews would waft through the kitchen as a young Weyanti Ahmed learnrd her craft, experimenting with the spare tips of onions, bell peppers and jalepenos to create my own little meals. Ahmed's mother, Hiwot, lived long enough to see her daughter, now 46, become a professional chef in downtown Oakland, with a much longer list of ingredients in her arsenal."
"Now, a mural facing the entrance of Ahmed's soul-food restaurant, Y's Choice, features a radiant portrait of Hiwot, beaming out at the customers shuffling into booths to feast on garlic noodles, grilled prawns, braised oxtails, turkey chops, deep-fried chicken and more. On another wall, there is a short family biography paying tribute to Ahmed's cultural history. The family's lineage is as diverse as the menu."
"Broadly promoted as a soul-food joint, Y's Choice is not limited to any one cuisine an intentional choice by the chef, who was born in Sudan, grew up primarily in West Oakland and now commutes from her home in Fremont. The comfort food has some Habesha influences but also happens to include Halal burgers, inspired by the Ahmed'd late Turkish father."
Weyanti Ahmed learned cooking from her mother Hiwot, starting with Tigrayan stews and simple experiments using onions, bell peppers and jalepenos. Ahmed operates Y's Choice, a soul-food restaurant in downtown Oakland featuring a mural of Hiwot and a family biography honoring cultural heritage. The menu combines comfort food with Habesha influences and Halal options, including Halal burgers inspired by Ahmed's late Turkish father. Two daughters, Kylah and Niajah, help run the restaurant while Ahmed balances family duties, including caring for her granddaughter Emio, with business responsibilities. Ahmed transitioned from nursing, catering and other jobs to full-time chef after encouragement from her children, expanding into a larger space on San Pablo Avenue.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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