Destination Dansaki: DansFest

Dining culture will dance to a new beat as Dansaki warms up for Ashford

The momentum for creativity, vibrancy and change continues to gather pace in Ashford as another new concept enters the town centre with a vision to delight.

Now you may not know Dansaki, but you are about to. The catering firm has been serving up afro Caribbean food and entertainment to both business and private clients around Kent County since 2011. Specialising in full-service catering and event planning in the region, Dansaki has decided to find a permanent home at Elwick Place, Ashford, with its first restaurant set to open in early 2020.

“The aim is to create a restaurant that combines a cosy, unique and innovative casual dining experience with amazing food and entertainment,” says Ime Bassey, front of house and events manager of Dansaki.

“The mission is to make afro-Caribbean cuisine a mainstream service in Kent as well as introduce a new demographic to Ashford and Kent as a whole.”

Open 6 days a week for lunch, dinner and late night food and entertainment, the Dansaki restaurant will offer an extensive menu with lots of exotic afro-Caribbean dishes and tapas and a cosmopolitan bar serving signature and traditional cocktails and a comprehensive selection of local and international wines, spirits and beverages.

The restaurant will also be looking to run various events throughout the year from small scale and regular open mic and comedy nights to fashion shows and staged festivals with a cultural twist.

Dansaki is releasing a new brand image for the restaurant side of the business, which is being premiered in this edition of ‘cene magazine (see page 3 and 4), which also highlights the first full event - DansFest, which will include outdoor BBQ stands, local drinks and a huge line-up of entertainment such as the Imbube Zulu Dancers,  jazz saxophonist Terry Leach, The Merry Makers Steel Band, Hannah Ola, Alujo Live Band, The Crology (Dance Group from Italy), DJ Swale (Dansaki Resident DJ) and DJ Yung Milli (The Beats London 103.6FM).

DJ Yung Milli

“Dansaki Restaurant offers a unique service, the first of its kind in Ashford and we strongly believe that Ashford Borough is ready for a warm and friendly place with amazing afro-Caribbean food,” says Ime. “A destination spot where you always know you will get the best of everything.”

There will also be opportunities for the locals in Ashford to join the amazing back of house and front of house teams.

Insta: @DansakiUk