Oakland International Airport Welcomes Black History Month and Annual Oakland Black Food and Wine Experience

Construction walls are up in the terminals at Oakland International Airport (OAK), concealing the progress being made by an entirely new lineup of food and beverage concessionaires. The Airport entered 2020 serving nearly 13.4 million passengers, and with work underway toward a complete redesign of its dining program.

In both Terminals 1 and 2, Oakland favorites like District, Brown Sugar Kitchen, and Tay Ho are steadily moving toward construction. Over the course of this year, all 17 dining locations at OAK will house one of the winners of the Port of Oakland’s 2018 Request for Proposals.

The Airport was a sponsor of Visit Oakland’s 10th Annual Restaurant Week, and this week welcomes visitors arriving for the 4th Annual Oakland Black Food & Wine Experience, taking place this Saturday at Impact Hub in Oakland.

Port of Oakland Director of Aviation, Bryant L. Francis, said: “We are pleased to begin this year’s recognition of Black History Month in support of Oakland’s Black Food & Wine Experience. Food and travel have such an important nexus, and with the upgrades underway to OAK’s Food and Beverage program, now is a perfect time to elevate the visibility of the exciting happenings both at the Airport and in our local community.”

According to its creator, Aminah "Chef Mimi" Robinson, the Black Food & Wine Experience positions Oakland on the national food scene in a way that is inclusive to both the chefs and attendees. She says, “It is so important for this space to exist. Not only does it showcase Black excellence in Oakland, it supports a movement to create a stronger ecosystem for Black food & wine entrepreneurs by highlighting Bay Area Black chefs.”

Attendees at this year’s Black Food and Wine Experience will arrive in Oakland from points across the US.