HEALING CULINARY EXPERIENCES
Where grief meets ritual—and the kitchen becomes a way back.
Roots & Returns creates spaces where food becomes an anchor—bringing people back to breath, memory, and steadiness. In a world that rushes grief and rewards over-functioning, we offer a different pace: warmth, witnessing, and practices you can actually use.
Whether we gather around a table in person or meet from our own kitchens, we make room for what’s true—and we build rituals that help you carry it.
Restoring Ourselves by Returning to Our Roots
Imagine gathering around a table filled with nostalgic dishes made with intention. Each bite evokes love and comfort, allowing individuals to share their stories and find solace together. At Roots & Returns, you are transported back to a time when you felt unwavering love, joy and a true sense of community.
In a world where overstimulation seems unavoidable and the hamster wheel of life is overwhelming, so many women are left feeling alone and depleted. Roots & Returns restores the nurturing feeling of wisdom and tradition that once existed in our neighborhoods, our backyards, our get-togethers and our kitchens.
PREVIEW A WORKSHOP
Experience Roots & Returns For Yourself
At times, its hard to truly capture the feeling that one experiences when attending a workshop. We invite you to take a peek behind the curtain
CULINARY OFFERINGS
Choose Your Path To Healing
We acknowledge the hard work you’re putting into healing and the courage it takes to seek support. Our services are designed to empower you through transformative culinary experiences that honor your memories, foster community, and celebrate your cultural heritage. Together, we’ll create a nurturing space where you can explore your feelings, find inspiration, and reclaim your sense of self.
The Truth About Grief
Grief is what happens when love meets loss. It can follow a death—but it also shows up after the quieter endings: a friendship that changed, a job that didn’t hold you, a divorce, infertility, a move, a diagnosis, the version of you you were before motherhood, partnership, or survival mode.
Grief is emotional and physical. It lives in the body—tight chest, foggy mind, restless hands, short breath. And when the world rushes us to “move on,” many of us learn to carry it alone.
At Roots & Returns, we don’t try to solve grief. We practice return—small, repeatable rituals that help you come back to steadiness and choice when grief shows up. You don’t have to be okay. You just need a place where what’s true can land.
Common grief experiences we support:
-
feeling numb, flooded, or easily triggered
-
shame for not “being over it”
-
resentment from always being the strong one
-
isolation and difficulty asking for help
-
loss of joy, appetite, or a sense of self
A gentle start:
Try one 5-minute return ritual at Porch is the Altar in our free community.
ISOLATION
IN GRIEF
Many women feel alone in their grief, struggling to find spaces where they can share their feelings and experiences.
DIFFICULTY IN
PROCESSING EMOTIONS
Grief can be overwhelming, making it hard for individuals to process their emotions.
LOSS OF
CULTURAL CONNECTION
After a loss, individuals may feel disconnected from their cultural roots and traditions.
REVIEWS
What Folx Love the Most About Roots & Returns
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY GROUP
The Tribe You've been Seeking is One Click Away
Our Facebook Community is a loving space cultivated in positivity, inspiration, sharing and great story telling. We hold space for grief, but above all, we support each other as we work towards healing. Share recipes, share resources, make a friend, but start by joining.
IT'S TIME THAT WE MEET
Hi, I'm Alisha Smith
I’m a Food Culture Nostalgist dedicated to empowering women, particularly from marginalized communities, who are navigating grief and loss. I created Roots & Returns after ..... I designed this community to be everything I needed to get me back to myself by getting back to my roots.
This space is for you. I invite you to stay a while. Find a recipe or an excerpt that speaks to your soul. If this space feels good to you, I encourage you to subscribe, join our community and experience healing through cooking and culture.
THOUGHTS ON GRIEF & COMMUNITY
FEATURED RECIPES
BRANDS THAT JUST FEEL LIKE HOME
BACK TO THE BASICS
Evolving Starts with Returning to the Foundation from Whence you Came
Reconnect with your cultural heritage and personal memories while fostering a sense of identity and belonging that can be profoundly comforting during times of loss. Women walk away from a healing culinary experience feeling...
Rejuvenated and emotionally fulfilled, having established meaningful connections that foster a sense of belonging and support.
Gratitude from inclusive culinary experiences that honor their cultural heritage, allowing them to express themselves and connect with others.
Resilient having gained the strength to pursue their passions and dreams, recognizing their worth and potential for growth.