Learn more about African American culinary history through my books and the stories behind them.
Soul Food:
The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time
The James Beard Award-winning book Soul Food gives the amazing backstory of one of the oldest and most interesting fusion cuisines in the United. States. In this book, I created a representative soul food meal, and I explain what each food item is, how it got on the soul food plate, and what it means for the culture. The book also contains 22 recipes–a mix of traditional, health-conscious, and contemporary dishes.
The President’s Kitchen Cabinet:
The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families from the Washingtons to the Obamas
The President’s Kitchen Cabinet is a collective biography of the African American men and women who have cooked for U.S. presidents. You’ll learn about how African Americans became instrumental to various aspects of presidential foodways. This book contains 20 recipes. Nominated for both a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Non-fiction and the Colorado Book Award for History.
Black Smoke:
African Americans and the United States of Barbecue
Black Smoke is a celebration of African American barbecue culture, and a restoration of African Americans as a vital part of the American barbecue story. This book contains 22 recipes. Nominated for both a 2022 James Beard Award for Reference, History, and Scholarship and a Colorado Book Award for History.
