Rabia Kamaraphotograph by Anders Krusberg
This narrative was updated at 10:38 post meridiem on Sept. 8, 2021, to include comments from Rabia Kamara
Rabia Kamara, a Silver Spring native who owns an methamphetamine skim living room in Richmond, Va., won the $ 20,000 august prize on a world read contest Monday night.
Kamara was one of three finalists who competed during Monday night ’ s episode of The Food Network show “ Ben & Jerry ’ s Clash of the Cones. ” The express features frosting cream “ masters ” competing against each other for a $ 20,000 respect and a sport spot in a Ben & Jerry ’ s Scoop Shop or event in the winner ’ s hometown .
Kamara, 32, started her commercial enterprise, Ruby Scoops Ice Cream & Sweets, more than six years ago as a small-batch operation in Washington, D.C. ’ s Union Kitchen, according to her LinkedIn profile. previously, she attended the Montgomery County cooking institution L ’ Academie de Cuisine, which has since closed .
Kamara told Bethesda Beat on Wednesday that she got interest in cooking about age 8, when her ma gave her a Mrs. Field ’ s cookbook .
Kamara, who is Black, said working with celebrity chef Carla Hall, who besides is Black, early in her career was an inspiration .
“ She was the first person I saw on television receiver who looked like me cooking, so it decidedly played a role in me deciding to pursue this career, ” she said .
Kamara has worked at a number of D.C.-area restaurants, including 8407 Kitchen Bar, Addie ’ randomness, Blacksalt and Republic Takoma, some of which have since closed. It was during her meter as a pastry chef at Republic that Kamara wanted to pursue methamphetamine cream as a commercial enterprise .
“ There was a kin that had two daughters that we served ice cream, three scoops to a serve, ” she said .
Each of the girls was supposed to get one scoop, Kamara said. But it didn ’ triiodothyronine cultivate out that way .
“ One of the fiddling girls got distracted by something, and the other one feed both of their internal-combustion engine creams, which led to her having a meltdown, which reminded me of those times in my childhood. In that here and now, I decided I wanted to be a part of those moments for families to come for a long time, ” she said.
Read more: Fruit Bowl Sundae
Since November 2020, Kamara has operated her brick-and-mortar store in Richmond, which has been successful, she said Wednesday .
In April, she interviewed with The Food Network for a smudge on “ Clash of the Cones ” and was accepted within a week. Filming took space at the Ben & Jerry ’ s factory in Vermont the following calendar month, she said .
Kamara said that one of her favorite activities on the read involved “ resurrecting ” a flavor from Ben & Jerry ’ s Flavor Graveyard — a terminus referring to flavors no long served by the company, that have become “ dearly de-pinted. ”
“ That was cool because it was all six of us [ contestants ] and we got to see how everybody approached frost skim, ” she said .
In the finale, the three remaining contestants each created their own relish .
Kamara ’ s winning submission on “ Clash of the Cones ” was “ Bia ’ s Black Joy Sundae, ” consisting of salted malt Dulce de Leche, vanilla with colored cocoa hedge brownie chunks, blondie brownie chunks and “ seafood seasoning yellowish brown, ” according to the Food Network ’ s web log .
Kamara explained on Wednesday that the relish was meant to represent her identity, both as a person of color and as a Marylander .
“ Growing up as a Black person in this area, I ’ ve experienced a lot of joy, but besides a lot of sadness because of the way that this nation has been set up for us to not necessarily succeed. therefore, a boastful character of why I make frosting cream is to create fresh memories through sweet treats, but it ’ second particularly important that people who look like me get to experience a few moments of just joy and peace with ice skim, ” she said .
The Old Bay-flavored caramel represented the Maryland aspect of the ice-cream sundae, Kamara said .
The acquire frosting cream entrepreneur thinks there is something about the dessert that is universally character of the homo experience .
“ Ice cream is constantly, and we get attached to it at a new age, ” she said.
Dan Schere can be reached at daniel.schere @ bethesdamagazine.com
