ICE CREAM QUEEN: A Conversation with Lokelani Alabanzi
ICE CREAM QUEEN: A Conversation with Lokelani Alabanzi
June 23, 2026 @ 07:00pm
Join us for a special evening celebrating the release of author Lokelani Alabanzi's first cookbook, ICE CREAM QUEEN!
ABOUT THE COOKBOOK
Back in the 1840s, a free Black woman ran a successful ice cream saloon in Nashville. Her name was Sarah Estell, and she became known as “the Ice Cream Queen.” Now taking up her crown is Lokelani Alabanza, a trained pastry chef and avid collector of all things Black Americana. Her love of ice cream and appreciation for those who preceded her come together in this joyful cookbook.
Ice Cream Queen features Alabanza’s original creations and revamped classics such as Malted Vanilla, Roasted Strawberry, and Mint Chip. Building on simple bases, standout flavors range from boozy and fruity to adventurous and decadent. Recipes include Nashville Hot Chicken, an ode to her adoptive city’s iconic dish; Juneteenth Sorbet, with summer-ripe raspberries and hibiscus flowers; PB&J, a vanilla swirled with peanut butter, strawberry jam, and slices of white bread; Chocolate-Covered Kettle Chip, a crunchy mix of sweet and salty . . . and many more.
A love letter to generations of Black ice cream makers, this cookbook offers something entirely new: ice cream as an act of memory, identity, and Black excellence.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lokelani Alabanza’s professional culinary journey started in the United States, at the New England Culinary Institute. From there, her love of food has taken her around the world. From her first kitchen job in Denmark to her time working as a private chef in Japan, her travels have expanded her palate and refined her ability to create incredible food.
Today, she creates beautiful flavors that spur the imagination while educating consumers about African American culinary history. She has been featured in Bon Appetit, Milk Street Radio, Wirecutter, Food 52, NPR, Oxford American, The Sewanee Review and CherryBombe Magazine. Lokelani is excited to share her view of the world through Saturated, her own brand of plant-based ice cream.
