A kitchen in Ghana, then a wider world
Essie Bartels begins the story of EssieSpice in her mother’s kitchen in Ghana. The company describes a childhood fascination with spices that kept growing as she traveled, tasted, and experimented. Family cooking gave her a starting point; encounters with other cuisines gave her more questions to ask. Her sauces would eventually carry both influences into other people’s kitchens.
That combination matters to understanding the brand. Bartels draws on West African food traditions while leaving room for the things she has learned elsewhere. The resulting pantry is personal, with named products that introduce particular ingredients and combinations rather than asking a single blend to represent an entire region.
Building the company between careers
In an interview originally published by the International Culinary Center and now hosted by the Institute of Culinary Education, Bartels recalled beginning the business while still working in corporate America. Her professional travels and time studying in Europe helped shape her cooking. She later took the school’s Essentials of Fine Cooking course in 2016.
The same interview describes the work around the recipes: buying ingredients, organizing production, keeping track of stock, delivering orders, and demonstrating products in stores. It is a founder’s account of food entrepreneurship at working scale, where the person developing a sauce may also be the person introducing it to the next customer.
Two different ways into the cupboard
Coco-For-Garlic and Mekko Dry Rub show the range of that approach. The first is a prepared coconut-and-garlic condiment; the second is a dry blend whose listed ingredients include roasted peanuts, West African nutmeg, grains of Selim, and chili. They occupy different places in the pantry and offer different ways to begin cooking.
The maker suggests using Coco-For-Garlic in marinades, sautés, and stews. Mekko’s published serving ideas include vegetables, proteins, and even popcorn. Those are the company’s suggestions, rather than Black Cupboard tasting notes or kitchen-test results.
Keeping the connection visible
EssieSpice’s own account also describes relationships with Ghanaian farmers and support for a girls’ school in Ghana. These are company-reported activities, part of the connection Bartels maintains between the business and the place where her interest in food began.
For a first encounter, choose the format you already cook with: a ready-to-use condiment or a dry seasoning. The product pages below lead to ingredient information and the maker’s own recipes, giving the story a practical place at dinner.
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Sources & attribution
Institute of Culinary Education · Interview with Essie Bartels
Reported from the linked company sources and published reporting. Black Cupboard did not conduct a new interview or product tasting. Independent editorial; no paid placement or affiliate relationship is represented.