About Us
How exploring food sovereignty through parenthood brought us here...
Sovereignty Bites is a meal service rooted in culture, creativity, and nourishment, founded by co-owners and life partners Joel Norwest and Kasha Marya. Inspired by their Afro-Indigenous family, they create globally influenced dishes that highlight Indigenous and African-rooted cuisines while embracing bold, seasonal ingredients. With a focus on fresh sourcing and intentional cooking, Sovereignty Bites offers flavorful, thoughtfully prepared meals that connect people to culture through food.
Our Story
Sovereignty Bites is co-owned by life partners Joel Norwest, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, and Kasha Marya, an African American Los Angeles native with a passion for exploring her Nigerian roots through food.
Our journey began with a deeply personal mission—exploring food sovereignty within our own home by nourishing our Afro-Indigenous daughter and creating opportunities for her to experience her culture through all senses, especially through food. What started as a cookbook, Project Feeding Freedom, quickly evolved into something more. We realized this was food meant not only to be shared in writing, but to be experienced.
At Sovereignty Bites, we explore a wide range of cultural cuisines, with a strong focus on uplifting Indigenous foodways from around the world and reimagining African-rooted dishes with our own creative perspective. Our menus are also inspired by Asian and Mediterranean influences, reflecting the diversity of flavors that shape our kitchen.
We believe food is a powerful connection to culture, community, and identity. That’s why we are committed to building relationships with local farmers and fishermen whenever possible, allowing us to provide fresh, seasonal ingredients and a more intentional dining experience for our clients.
Sovereignty Bites is more than a meal service—it’s an expression of culture, creativity, and care, rooted in the belief that food should nourish, tell a story, and bring people together.