A legacy born from loss
The Kurl Kitchen story started in 2020, solid within the warmth of private loss and world uncertainty. The sisters misplaced their father simply earlier than the primary lockdown, a seismic second that made them mirror on legacy, goal and the ties that bind.
“We just felt like we had some sort of purpose to do something for him,” Fleur remembers. “He always wanted us to work together as sisters. Hair had always been a natural passion of ours – it’s almost like we’d been on a lifelong quest to find the perfect haircare range for our hair.”
Growing up in a dual-heritage family, the sisters confronted the acquainted confusion of mixed-texture hair – and oldsters who have been equally baffled. “Our mum was like, ‘What is this hair? What do I do with it?’ and our dad was the same!” Keshia laughs. “We didn’t dislike our hair; we just didn’t know what to do with it.”
Their resolution? A return to Ghana, a rediscovery of native elements and a partnership with a neighborhood formulator who was initially shocked by their decisions. “She thought okra and yam were boring, but we said, ‘Over here, no one’s done this!’”
Food for hair – and the desk
Kurl Kitchen attracts on elements which can be staples in west African cooking, however uncommon in British magnificence aisles: okra, wild yam, baobab and plantain. “We called it Kurl Kitchen because we drew on ingredients that we grew up on in a Ghanaian kitchen,” Fleur explains. “It’s like food for your hair.”
The synergy runs deeper than branding. Their new YouTube collection, Welcome to the Kitcheninvitations cooks and mixologists to create dishes and drinks utilizing the identical elements present in Kurl Kitchen’s merchandise. “We give them the list of ingredients in our products and they just create from that,” Fleur says. The outcome? West African-inspired gelato with avocado and plantain, cocktails infused with baobab and a celebration of Ghanaian culinary heritage.
The flavours of dwelling
Food continues to be the sisters’ past love and biggest consolation, with dishes that really feel each private and fiercely guarded. For Keisha, it’s the household rooster pie: “puff pastry, cream, leeks… but there’s one special ingredient I can’t share.” She admits even her fiancé’s brother has been attempting to get the recipe for years. For Fleur, it’s a fiery peanut soup, nkate nkwan, served with sticky rice, eaten by hand and shared across the desk.
Their kitchen confessions are as relatable as they’re revealing: childhood microwave cake mishaps, a household ritual of cream crackers with evaporated milk, and an outright refusal to serve something ready-made.
“Good meals is a sense”
For the East sisters, good meals is about greater than style – it’s about connection, care and tradition. “Good food means love and family and tradition,” says Fleur. “It brings everyone together. You can have a discussion over a meal; it’s something that really unites you.”
Keshia agrees: “Good food is a feeling. When you cook for someone or bring people round, it’s a kind gesture. It’s a really nice way of caring for people.”
With Kurl Kitchen, the sisters have bottled not simply the nourishing energy of Ghanaian elements, however the heat of their household desk. Whether it’s a Kurl cream or a creamy rooster pie, their message is obvious: meals and love are finest when shared.
Check out extra:
Good Food podcast – chef Ayo Adeyemi of Akoko on the rise of west African delicacies
My Favorite Dish: Breenya-Mensa Acwasi
Great British recipes with a twist
Good Food podcast – Fred Sirieix and Tom Kerridge on world delicacies
