Said it before, will say it again: one of the greatest single-bite culinary experiences in this town is found inside the magic of a Cocoa Asante chocolate.

Cocoa Asante luxury bonbons are produced by Ella Livingston and her team. The bonbons are double scrumptious, with some 50ccs of oh-my-heavens delight.

In this town, Wonka goes by the name Ella.

TikTok superstar Keith Lee knows it.

People across the US know it.

Quite soon, the state of Tennessee will know it.

On Thursday morning, Ella opens her Cocoa Asante doors for Tennessee state officials, who will recognize her business in a state-wide tour of Black-owned businesses.

Stuart McWhorter, Tennessee's Economic and Community Development (TNECD) commissioner, is traveling the state, recognizing nine Black-owned businesses "as having significantly impacted their employees, their community and the state of Tennessee."

Ella Livingston, Cocoa Asante, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Cocoa Asante -- the only business selected regionally -- joins Uncle Nearest (Shelbyville) and Citizens Bank (Nashville) and six others.

In 2018, Ella, a high school math teacher, left her job to launch Cocoa Asante: our city's luxury chocolate brand influenced from Asia and sourced from Ghana.

Ella's vision? Cocoa Asante becomes a bean-to-bar producer, importing beans from her family farms in Ghana straight to Chattanooga. (She was born in Ghana and raised in the US.)

Cocoa Asante bonbons, Chattanooga, Tennessee

Apparently, it's never been a better time to be a Black-owned business in the Volunteer State.

"Tennessee has proven to be an ideal business climate for Black businesses with continued steady growth seen over the past few years. In 2023, the Volunteer State was named the second-best state across the U.S. for Black-owned businesses. The study specifically named Tennessee’s low cost of living, high annual income of Black business owners and lack of a state income tax as reasons for the top-tier ranking," TNECD stated.

It's interesting statement to consider.

Is Tennessee - or more specifically, Chattanooga -- an ideal place for Black-owned businesses and startups?

Study aside, what's the lived experience of local Black business owners each day?

Four years ago, the city of Chattanooga confessed that less than 11% of its contracts went to minority-and-women-owned businesses, after a study found consistent disparity in government-awarded contracts.

One wonders: how much remains of a historic good-ole-boy network?

In 2019, the Black poverty rate (25.3%) was three times that of white Chattanoogans, according to the Times Free Press.

One again wonders: how much extra money is free to circulate among Black-and-minority-owned businesses when such a poverty rate -- often generational -- is so high? How much extra money is available for startup capital?

A more intimate question: how much of money do I -- David -- spend at Black-and-minority-owned businesses?

The Hunter Museum of American Art publishes this guide, including a Black-owned restaurant guide. The Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce published this story with its directory.

How many do I, as a white Chattanoogan, regularly frequent and patronize?

I can count my answer on one hand, but not two.

Much has been done in the subsequent years with Mayor Tim Kelly's and Mayor Weston Wamp's administrations, and City Hall contracts are not the defining factor in minority businesses here and the poverty rate changes annually. Plus, every day, folks at the Chattanooga Chamber -- and elsewhere -- are committed to strengthening the minority-owned business ecosystem here.

But, as Ella said when we visited last Valentine's Day, it's hard -- really, really hard -- to make it.

"I had a unicorn moment. If that hadn't happened, I might still be waiting. What happens if you're not a unicorn? What kind of shot do you get?" she said. "I know entrepreneurs right now who deserve a shot and we are all scrambling and jumping through hoops to get these opportunities."

In the coming months, Food as a Verb will commit to featuring even more Black-and-minority owned restaurants.

Not out of obligation, but out of joy.

Our good friends at Mac's Kitchen & Bar have won OpenTable's Diner's Choice Award for the second straight year.

This Saturday, they're hosting their monthly Farm + Fire Dinner; if you haven't been, it's easily one of the most enjoyable, heart-filled dining experiences in this city.

Mac's Kitchen & Bar, Rossville, Georgia

You can buy tickets to this Saturday's dinner here.

Congrats Brian and Jess!

Food as a Verb community, a big thanks for all your birthday wishes!

Thanks for the compliments on our new website! We love it, too!

See ya'll at the market today. Wheeler's Orchard & Vineyard has apples, grapes and blueberries, Quail Run Farm has turkey, Bird Fork Farm has wild spinach, Sale Creek Honey has, yep, honey and Rosemary & Thyme Creamery is selling its artisan sheep cheese.

Have a good week, everyone. A big story coming this Sunday!

All photography by Sarah Unger (sarah@foodasaverb.com)

All design by Alex DeHart

All words by David Cook (david@foodasaverb.com)

Story ideas, questions, feedback? Interested in sponsorship or advertising opportunities? Email us: david@foodasaverb.com and sarah@foodasaverb.com

This story is 100% human generated; no AI chatbot was used in the creation of this content.

Food as a Verb thanks our sustaining partners for their generous support.