From Sierra Leone to Sevenoaks: Maria Bradford breaking boundaries with Shwen Shwen

By her own admission, Maria Bradford had plenty of doubters when she revealed her plans to open a Sierra Leonean restaurant in Kent.

Her defiant response: “Why not?”

With nearly a decade of experience under her belt of selling sauces, running supper clubs and private events, Maria took the plunge and opened her first bricks and mortar site in Sevenoaks earlier this year, Shwen Shwen.

Maria moved to England from her West African home as a teenager in her bid to train to become an accountant.

But food was her calling, often making lunch to take in to work for her colleagues.

Discovering her identity through food

“In 2016, after being so unhappy, hating my life and going to work, I decided to take the leap and explore food part-time,” she explained.

“Growing up in Sierra Leone, the idea of being a chef didn’t exist. It wasn’t considered a respectable career - it felt like something people did if they weren’t academic.

“It took years of persuasion from my husband. He kept saying, ‘you’re so good at this - it comes naturally to you. The only time you’re truly in your element and excited is when you’re cooking or talking about food.'

“My cousin’s wedding was my turning point - I catered for 60 people in my garden, and the feedback was amazing.

“Even family members, who I thought would be critical, were supportive. That gave me the confidence to take it further.

“I created a social media page, then enrolled in culinary college in Leeds to build my confidence and skills.”

Adjusting to life in england

To go from there to opening a restaurant has been a long journey, but one Maria describes as a “natural progression”. Early rave reviews from critics such as Jay Rayner and Jimi Famurewa suggest the decision is paying off.

But Shwen Shwen is not just a restaurant for Maria, it is a deeply personal project, which serves as a gateway to showcase the best of Sierra Leone.

“It took quite a lot of time to settle in England,” she said.

“I didn’t move to London, which is quite multicultural - I came to West Malling in Kent, which wasn’t multicultural at all. I quickly realised I was different. I’d never really considered my colour before. Suddenly, there was a lot of awareness and lots to deal with - a new environment, a new community, and no comfort of family or familiar food around either.

“There were lots of new fruits I hadn’t tried before, like apples and strawberries, which I loved discovering.

“But my world was turned upside down in terms of flavour. Mangoes, papayas - things I’d grown up with - didn’t taste the same.

“Food quickly became an obsession. I was constantly trying to recreate what I missed, while also discovering new things.”

She added: “Food became my communicator of heritage and culture.

“When I came to England, there was a lot of information going around about Sierra Leone and war and lots of people had lots of opinions based on what they’d seen on TV.

“People quickly wanted to talk about it and it’s not something I wanted to talk about. It was too real for me, rather than something you watch on TV. It was real life - friends, family, communities I know being displaced.

“Food became my way to talk about Sierra Leone on my own terms - to share stories about my family, my mother, my grandmother - and to bring something positive into those conversations.”

Introducing Sierra Leonean cuisine to Sevenoaks

Sierra Leonean cuisine is not widespread across the UK. So how has the reaction been from the locals to opening up Shwen Shwen?

“I wrote a cookbook, which really opened doors, then the restaurant just felt like the next phase,” Maria explained.

“The interest wasn’t just from Sierra Leoneans - it came from all sorts of people who were curious to try something new.

“It’s been trying to get diners to not just connect to the food but connect to where the food is coming from, which is Sierra Leone and what that means to me and why this is so important to me and the stories that come with it.

“Opening the restaurant felt like the natural progression. It’s not been easy at all - I’ve worked really hard.”

She added: “I see myself as both Sierra Leonean and British. It’s important for me to embrace both sides.

“Sierra Leone will always be my original home. I was born and raised there. Lots of my foundation for food comes from Sierra Leone, but I have also grown and learned a lot about food in England.

“I’ve embraced other cuisines and used food to escape horrible conversations and start pleasant conversations. Food has always been that bridge for me.

“The food at Shwen Shwen represents that - there are very traditional elements, but also a sense of fusion, which I really believe in.

“There is a diverse team in the kitchen: two white British chefs, one Nigerian, and one Jamaican.

“It means a lot to have people who are genuinely invested in my heritage and culture, being able to bring the food I want to bring and understanding the culture behind it as well.”

Creating a home away from home

Asked how she hopes diners feel when they leave Shwen Shwen, Maria said: “In Sierra Leone we are very welcoming and peaceful people, who love celebrating heritage, culture and feeding people.

“The entire restaurant has been decorated in a way where they feel like they are dining at my home. It’s that warm and fuzzy feeling.

“I want them to feel like they haven’t just been in a restaurant, they’ve immersed themselves into a new culture, that they’ve experienced Sierra Leonean hospitality.

“We’re feeders in Sierra Leone - we love to share food. Our menu is designed for sharing, because we cook and eat communally.

“I want people to feel that sense of love and family when they’re here.

“We’ve had somebody who has been here seven times and lots of people two, three, four times. It has got to a point where we are thinking about a loyalty scheme, because we’re having those repeat customers.”

Examples from the menu include beef short rib and groundnut, seabass with banana leaf and jollof with a Krio stew.

Krio is an ethnic group in Sierra Leone, the language from which is where the name Shwen Shwen originates, loosely translating as ‘fancy’.

A restaurant rooted in family

Expanding on the family aspect of her restaurant, Maria said: “Through this whole project my grandmother, who was a major part of my life, was unwell and getting frail.

“Sadly, my grandmother has passed away now, but there’s artwork in the bar area - taken in her village during our location shoots - that brings me a lot of peace. It reminds me of her two or three years ago healthy, laughing and making fun of me for speaking the local language, Mende, with an English accent!

“Hopefully we can celebrate her here soon.”

She added: “A few months ago I would have said my goal was just to get people through the door - to get them to try and understand the cuisine. I’m glad so many have done that.

“In terms of plans, I’m not really somebody that will say I’m looking to have chains of restaurants, because there will never be another Shwen Shwen in Sevenoaks.

“But this isn’t just a business project, it’s a love project. Shwen Shwen is a statement for me. When I said I was opening a restaurant in Sevenoaks, some people doubted me because it’s not a diverse area. But my response has always been: why not?

“Integration has always been the thing for me. I’m proud to be Sierra Leonean and British.

“If I’m proud to be British, why can’t I open a restaurant in Sevenoaks? Why would I not be able to share heritage and culture in Sevenoaks?

“That is what the United Kingdom is about, it is about different people being able to be here and thrive and being able to share heritage and culture at the same time.  

“We’re here and I’m proud of it.”

(Photos: John Scott Blackwell and Dave Saunders)