YolanDa Brown’s Soul Mama relocates to Stratford ahead of launch

Due to open in September at The Gantry on the ground floor of the Design Hotel, Soul Mama will feature an extensive live music programme and serve a food menu that ‘fuses the authentic tastes of Africa, the Caribbean and South America’.

Plans for Soul Mama were first announced in June last year​​ after Brown and her business partner, Adetokunbo “T” Oyelola, raised just over £248,000 via a crowdfund. It was billed at the time as being the biggest ever fundraise for a restaurant on the Kickstarter platform.

Originally Brown hoped to launch Soul Mama on Islington Square, but the site there subsequently fell through, which led her to relocate to Stratford.

As well as live music, Soul Mama’s entertainment roster will also incorporate comedy, fireside chats, and concerts for children and families.

Chef Aleandro Brown, who trained under Gordon Ramsay at Maze Grill and more recently cooked alongside Helene Darroze At The Connaught, will lead the kitchen in his first executive chef role.

Dishes set to feature on the menu include one pot creamy coconut chicken curry with rice and peas; mango jerk cauliflower; Venezuela-inspired cornbread arepas ‘with a twist’; and Ghanaian-style kelewele plantain.

Alongside the restaurant, there will also be an all-day café spot serving coffee and pastries.

The main drinks menu, meanwhile, will feature cocktails such as Soul Mama’s rum punch alongside a list of wines and local beers.

Soul Mama’s design is ‘artist-led’ that features a double height space with floor to ceiling windows, a central stage, and a mixture of tall and restaurant-style tables framed by a bar.

“Soul Mama has been a dream come true, and I'm incredibly excited to open doors to our first venue,” says Brown.

“This journey has been filled with passion, belief, dedication, tears, laughter, perseverance, and a lot of hard work. I’m thrilled to see the vision come to life. Our programming is designed to celebrate diverse voices who bring inspiration and joy providing a platform for emerging and established artists alike. Grassroots music venues are the heartbeat of our cultural landscape, nurturing talent and fostering creativity.

“Soul Mama represents a venue for artists by artists, where creativity thrives and connections are made. We aim to offer an unparalleled experience where food and entertainment come together, creating moments filled with laughter and hope for everyone who walks through our doors.”

Soul Mama has partnered with Ticketmaster to expand its venue's reach through Ticketmaster's marketing network.