Sambuxa NYC: Bringing a Taste of Sudan to New York City

Food is a life necessity, and what we consume is intricately intertwined with our culture. It’s a universal language that allows us to convey our environments and history and share our mutual culinary experiences. Without it, our identity as a people is not complete, and to understand the complexities of Sudan, exploring Sudanese cuisine is a must.

Whether in Sudan or in the diaspora one thing that connects us as a people is our cuisine. Historically, food has always been integral to Sudanese culture and tradition and certain foods are often attributed to social and religious events that help us preserve and reflect ourselves. 

There is a scarcity of representation of Sudanese food. I would always hear people ask, ‘What is Sudanese food?’ To counter this narrative and offer a taste of Sudan, Gladys Shahtou founded her food stand Sambuxa NYC, to help put Sudanese favourites and delicacies on the culinary map. 

Born in Sudan to a Sudanese and Haitian family, Gladys wanted to fill a culinary void by cooking up and serving Sudanese street foods and delicacies. She created her food stand to offer a chance for exploring Sudanese food, and where better place to do it than New York City (NYC), the true food mecca of the world.

I met up with Gladys in NYC, where she had her stand set up amongst several vendors in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Nestled between a donut kiosk, and a juice stall, her booth stood out with a large black and white sign depicting the Pyramids of Meroe. The smell of simmering fuul (fava beans) and freshly fried falafel filled the air with a familiar aroma, transporting our senses to Sudan.

Initially, Gladys started her business, making and selling samboxas, Haitian food, and a fusion of both, an ode to her family’s heritage. She started it as a side hustle ‘in college and that’s how I paid my rents,’ she says. Gradually, as her popularity grew she ventured off to cater to birthday parties and gatherings until eventually, she began ‘delivering food to offices’ in Geneva. Business was booming. Customers were curious to know more and often inquire about the origins of Sudanese cuisine, what does it compromise, and where is Sudan? Rather than provide a verbal answer, Gladys combined her passion for cooking and love for Sudan to give them a taste. 

With a degree in International Relations and Management, Gladys left Geneva and moved to DC for a job opportunity at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Following the victor of GOP, the Republican Party, her stint in DC was short-lived and found herself working at the UN in NYC. Despite her impressive credentials, Gladys became frustrated with the uncertainty of job prospects. ‘When I came to New York, I said I’m not getting hired for the jobs that I want and I don’t want to go back to Switzerland,’ she said. What was meant to be a temporary side job, grew into a full-time business. It wasn’t until 2017 that Gladys came up with a plan for her food business, and in March 2018, with the support of her parents, she officially launched Sambuxa NYC.

Previously known as Samosa NYC, Gladys wanted to differentiate from the desi reference and use a distinctive Sudanese term indicating its true culinary identity. If you think about ‘Sambuxa’, the concept is essentially a stuffed pastry and is shared by many cultures. Whether you call it samosa, sambusa, sambusak, fateera, emapanana, meat pie, dumpling, or piroshki, you can’t deny the universal love for stuffed dough. The term ‘Sambuxa’ however is exclusive to Sudan, and these delicious pies are stuffed with meat, cheese, or vegetables and either be fried or baked depending on how health-conscious you are. Sambuxa’s can be made any time of the year for any occasion, however, in Sudan and the Arab world, they are particularly popular during the holy month of Ramadan. 

Influenced by the myriad of peoples and cultures passing through and settling in, Sudanese food fuses flavors from Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, creating a distinct culinary experience native to Sudan. It is a reflection of the country’s diverse and ever-changing tumultuous history. ‘I haven’t been [to Sudan] for six years, but I plan to go so I can learn to make Abreh,’ said Gladys when asked about her future plans for Sambuxa NYC. For Gladys, it’s all about the source of her ingredients. She tries to use as many ingredients from Sudan as possible and many of her products are purchased from Middle Eastern and halal shops in NYC. Sambuxa NYC is a one-woman show. Gladys cooks and transports her food and equipment all by herself, taking the subway, Ubers, and walking around to bring you a taste of Sudan.

Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive for Gladys, with many people finally learning about and experiencing Sudanese food. The most popular dishes offered at Sambuxa NYC are their veggie platter and sambuxas. Gladys also serves other Sudanese favourites such as fuul, salatat aswad, and shattat dakwa – all accommodating for a vegan/vegetarian-friendly diet. Some other items added on her menu include aseeda, mulah, shaya, bufftek, and a’adas (lentils). While these are some of the staples available all year round, the menu changes depending on what’s in season and the time of year. For example, there are specific foods made during Ramadan which she adds on to the menu to celebrate the holy month. 

Although Gladys’s focus is currently on Sudanese food, she hopes to experiment with South Sudanese foods to reflect her Zande roots. In her next venture, she wishes to set up a food stand in Khartoum and include more traditional dishes such as kamouniya. To keep up with the high demand, on weekdays Gladys does catering and reserves weekends for Smorgasburg in Brooklyn, an outdoor market space held alternatively between Williamsburg and Prospect Park. So if you ever find yourself in the Big Apple (post-COVID-19) make sure to support your local Sudanese business and check out Sambuxa NYC (just look for the Meroe Pyramids) for a true taste of home!

Find Sambuxa NYC on Instagram @sambuxanyc and check out their website.

An aspiring peacemaker, Yousra Khalil graduated with an M.A. in International Affairs with a concentration in peace and conflict resolution from the George Washington University. When she’s not working on countering violent extremism, she enjoys trivia, naps, travelling, memes, and good food. Currently based in Washington, DC, Yousra splits her time between the US, Qatar and Sudan.