Lunch Deliveries

First off, I want to thank all that have been loyal patrons to our endeavors. This means a lot to us and the "aiga" (family) and will not be forgotten when we open the building.

Through long hours and multiple negotiations my sister Pese and I have began to push forward in a positive direction. We believe that we are bringing something to Fresno that is well needed. Growing up here I realized that the types of foods available here are all about the same. This city needs something new and the recipes created by Pese have recieved nothing but rave reviews in San Francisco, Oakland, the Central Valley, Southern California and the Coastal areas.

We are intent on using only fresh vegetables, meats and poultry from right here in the Central Valley. We want to be a part of the economic growth of this city as well as patronizing our local vendors. It is our goal to buy locally to ensure that you are getting fresh foods delivered to your table. By cutting out import prices we can ideally pass the savings along to you through lower prices while not sacraficing quality.

Through market research of our immediate area, we found that there is a high percentage of individuals who do not eat pork. Although pork is an integral part of most Polynesian diets, we found it necessary that in order to accomodate our customer base we needed to "tweak" some recipes. We have decided to replace some recipes with smoked turkey or chicken. Here in the Central Valley this resource is abundant. We would like to better serve our customers who want to experience our food. This does not mean that the Pork based recipes will not be available.

This Friday October 22, 2010 will be our first of many lunch time deliveries to get our food out there to the public and prepare Fresno for whats to come. Our next fundraiser will include Samoan food yet we want to introduce this to the public gradually. Those who are Polynesian know how rich and tasteful our food is yet it can be different to those who have never tasted it. To get somewhat of an idea about Samoan food go to this link :

http://www.samoalive.com/recipes.htm

These are some of the more traditional recipes and appeal to a broader audience yet we will have our own "Afakasi" spin on these recipes.

Due to the response that we have had on the lunch deliveries it has been requested that we do this over the weekend. Our customers are always right and so if you had the opportunity to taste our food this week or would like us to deliver a meal to you this weekend please leave us a message here and we will give you a call and bring the taste of Polynesian Soul to your doorstep or you can feel free to drop by and pick up a plate. On behalf of my sister Pese, myself and the entire "aiga" (family), we thank you for your patronage and welcome your opinions, thoughts, and comments. We monitor this site daily and want feedback weather it's negative or positive so we can have what our public enjoys when we open the doors.

Special Thanks to the employee's of the following organizations:

• Agape Inc.
• Healthcomp
• Aetna
• Fresno Police Department

We truly appreciate your patronage. Thank you for all your support

Happy 4th of July

This time of year we do not just celebrate our independence but we celebrate the American life. In keeping with the tradition of the 4th of July we decided to have a big Bar-B-Q to allow the public to taste our cooking. My sister and I decided to go with the "Soul" side of our menu for this event.
I get many questions inquiring "When will you have Samoan food, and what does it taste like?" Good news, you will get your chance to taste it soon. We will be announcing an event that we will be hosting. All that attend will have an opportunity to taste everything we will have on our initial menu. Check back here on the blog or leave your email as a comment and I will add you to our email listing.

If you had the opportunity to taste our food at the 4th of July event, please click the "comment" link below and leave a comment. All comments will be published instantly. It is our belief that if we are going to do something we need to do it correctly and to the taste of our customers. Your satisfaction is our goal.

Currently we are in the process of locating and acquiring a commercial restaurant building. We are looking at putting on many events as fund raisers to aid in creating capital for our business. Please become a follower of our blog, we will update periodically to allow you to view our progress as we grow.

We are excited in bringing a fresh new choice of food to the Central Valley and all comments will be answered. Feel free to either leave your name or be anonymous. Your input is crucial to the development of this company. Please feel free to read out other post's. See how all this came about and see what we are doing in San Francisco.

On behalf of my sister Pese and I, we thank you for your support and hope to soon become a major part of Fresno for years to come.

Sincerely,

Verles Page
Co-Owner
Afakasi Kitchen

Grand Opening

In conjunction with Judich's bar, we have been giving the amazing opportunity to utilize their commercial kitchen for the beginning phase of our restauraunt. Last Friday and Saturday (21 and 22 of May) we opened to the public. We appreciate all the feedback we recieved and the support of the community. We love the "Aiga" that is our family both by blood and by association. Please check back periodically for online coupons and announcements as we continue to grow. The overall goal is to open a full restaraunt in Fresno and the Bay area. Currently we want to establish Judnichs as a premiere place to taste our foods but also a place to relax with good people, good music and great fun.

Judnichs is a bar that many believe is just a Polynesian bar but in fact it is open to all nationalities. To experience the culture of Samoa and Polynesia is just a plus to this small but diverse bar. Enjoy a game of pool, watch the game or have a drink and meet friendly islanders who may give you a lesson on life on the island of Samoa. The music ranges from R&B, Reggae to Polynesian artist's that you may or may not have heard of. We look forward to you being there. If you happen to stop by, please leave a comment here on the post, we are always looking for ways to improve and create lasting memories.


Right now as it stands, we are only serving the following:

* Catfish Nuggets
* Shrimp
* Chicken
* Fries

Our is currently in the beginning stages of opening and will eventually include many Samoan and Soul Food dishes. It is the goal of the owners Pese and Darnell to give our customers a satisfying meal that is both hearty and traditional. Check back for our full menu coming soon.

THANK ALL OF YOU THAT CAME TO JUDNICH'S AND SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS. SPREAD THE WORD THANK'S AGAIN.

-Darnell & Pese

How we got started

Many of you that are reading our blog site probably wondering what "Afakasi" means. Well, it is a Samoan word meaning "Of mixed race". My sister and I are both "Afakasi" we are Samoan and African American. Interesting enough, we have the same father same mother yet we were seperated as babies. I grew up on the African American side whereas she grew up in Samoa on the Polynesian side. Just recently less than one year ago we finally found each other. After being seperated for over 38 years we are finally reunited. The great thing about this is that we learned to cook from both cultures. My sister Pese is fluent in the language and traditions of Samoa. She grew up learning many of the recipes and traditional methods of cooking specific foods. I grew up with a strong African American grandmother who was an amazing southern cook. When we put the foods together it is an amazing taste that can only be described as both traditional and exotic. An explosion of taste that tantalizes not just your mouth but your soul. We use only the finest ingredients and do not skimp on flavor. It is our goal to bring a new and refreshing way of enjoying both Polynesian and Soul Food in a setting that describes who we are as brother and sister.
Although our restauruant is in the beginning phase of inception, we are available for catering and special events. If you have ever been to a Hawaiian Lua you will be amazed at how it's done "Fa' A Samoa" (The Samoan way). We look forward to testimonials on your experience with our company. Please feel free to leave a post and we look forward to serving you. Alofa.

Sincerely,

Pese & Darnell
Founders
Owners/Operators