Chef and author Maria Bradford is to open her debut restaurant, Shwen Shwen by Maria Bradford in Sevenoaks, Kent, on 6 June. The restaurant will showcase not only Bradford’s unique style of Sierra Leonean and Afro-fusion cuisine but also the ingredients, history, and culture of her homeland. Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Bradford learned to cook at the age of nine alongside her mother and grandmother. She moved to Kent in her teens. Having started out in accountancy, Bradford switched career path, founding Shwen Shwen (the name comes from the Krio word for ‘fancy’), her catering company, supper club and online store in 2017. Her first cookbook Sweet Salone: Recipes from the Heart of Sierra Leone came out in 2023; and in 2025, Bradford served as a judge on the Fortnum & Mason Food & Drink Awards.