Brigitte Harris
Bridge’s Kitchen
Brigitte Harris, the owner of Bridge’s Kitchen, grew up in the Stapleton community of Staten Island as a first generation Liberian American. At age 12, she moved back to Liberia. Immersed in her culture, Brigitte learned how to cook many dishes from her family’s home country, from peanut soup with fufu to colorful jollof rice.
Eventually the violence of civil war forced Brigitte to return to the United States, where she continued to refine her recipes. Living amid wartime food shortages inspired her to volunteer with Rescuing Leftover Cuisine during the pandemic.
As a volunteer she redistributed excess food to people experiencing food insecurity, delivering to pantries and shelters across New York City by bicycle.
In 2023 Brigitte received a loan from Accompany Capital to fund the purchase a food truck. Brigitte’s mission is to provide Liberian cuisine to a borough that lacks many options despite the neighborhood of Clifton being known as “Little Liberia” and to connect people to her culture through cuisine.
In the future, Brigitte aspires to open more Liberian restaurants across New York City and beyond.