For the Culture
Phenomenal Black Women and Femmes in Food: Interviews, Inspiration, and Recipes
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A must-have anthology of the leading Black women and femmes shaping today’s food and hospitality landscape—from farm to table and beyond—chronicling their passions and motivations, lessons learned and hard-won wisdom, personal recipes, and more.
Chef and writer Klancy Miller found her own way by trial and error—as a pastry chef, recipe developer, author, and founder of For the Culture magazine—but what if she had known then what she knows now? What if she had known the extraordinary women profiled within these pages—entrepreneurs, chefs, food stylists, mixologists, historians, influencers, hoteliers, and more—and learned from their stories?
Like Leah Penniman, a farmer using Afro-Indigenous methods to restore the land and feed her community; Ashtin Berry, an activist, sommelier, and mixologist creating radical change in the hospitality industry and beyond; or Sophia Roe, a TV host and producer showcasing the inside stories behind today’s food systems. Toni Tipton-Martin, Mashama Bailey, Carla Hall, Nicole Taylor, Dr. Jessica B. Harris . . . In this gorgeous volume these luminaries and more share the vision that drives them, the mistakes they made along the way, advice for the next generation, and treasured recipes—all accompanied by stunning original illustrated portraits and vibrant food photography.
In addition, Miller shines a light on the matriarchs who paved the way for today’s tastemakers—Edna Lewis, B. Smith, Leah Chase, Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor, and Lena Richard.
These collective profiles are a one-of-a-kind oral history of a movement, captured in real time, and indispensable for anyone passionate about food.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Miller (Cooking Solo), founder of For the Culture magazine, features Black women and femmes "doing phenomenal and awe-inspiring work" in the food and hospitality world in this inspiring compilation. Among more than 60 profile subjects, Miller spotlights wine writer Julia Coney; Paola Velez, a pastry chef and founder of Bakers Against Racism; and co-owners of the Brooklyn restaurant Ode to Babel, Marva and Myriam Babel. Interviewees' pathways to success were varied: some—like New York Times columnist Yewande Komolafe, who was inspired by her food scientist mother—had dreamed of working with food since childhood, while others found their way into the industry later. Sicily Johnson, a restaurateur whose food is "rooted in Black American nostalgia," began her New York City restaurant as a second career after acting in television. As Miller digs into her subjects' influences, paths to success, and missions, she weaves in recipes and touches on such issues as improving food access; helping Black farmers succeed by providing training, resources, and debt relief; and supporting Black-owned food businesses. Readers in the industry will find especially welcome the tips about managing finances. The breadth of voices—from farmers and sommeliers to cultural preservationists—form a vivid portrait of a rich and varied cultural tradition. This has value for foodies, cooks, and those interested in the biz.
