In the bustling town of Bainbridge, two entrepreneurial minds are bringing a fresh and unique dining experience to the community. Ritho Jean Louis, owner of Ritho Caribbean Spot, is passionate about sharing his love for Haitian and Asian cuisine with locals. As a child, he learned to cook from his sisters and was inspired by ingredients like tomatoes, corn, and peanuts. These flavors brought him to Bainbridge during harvest seasons, where he noticed a lack of food that resembled his home cuisine.
On the other hand, Christine Vancamp, owner of Ono Kine Local Grindz, took a leap of faith by opening an Asian Fusion restaurant at the Bainbridge Marina. She grew up eating Korean dishes like Shoyu chicken, Kalbi, and lumpia, inspired by her grandparents who left Korea for Hawaii in the 1920s. Vancamp cooks alongside her husband and is excited to share her heritage through food with the Bainbridge community.
Both Louis and Vancamp are introducing the locals to dishes that are not typical in the traditional Southern cooking scene. Louis plans to host a corn festival on May 18, where members of the Haitian and Latino community will bring their own twist to a southern tradition. The diversity in cuisine not only offers a unique dining experience but also creates a link between heritage, uniqueness, and progression in a town where racial and ethnic diversity has been less common.
By bringing their culinary traditions to Bainbridge, both business owners hope to give the community a taste of the comfort food they grew up on. Their passion for food and cultural exchange is creating an exciting new chapter for Bainbridge’s dining scene.
