Adrian Miller

You may think that you know the true history of soul food, but you probably don't. I trace the journey of this cuisine from West Africa to the American West by showing what people of West African heritage ate before European contact, during The Middle Passage, during slavery in the American South, after Emancipation, and while migrating and settling in other parts of the United States. I end by identifying the current and future trends in soul food. In the end, you'll see that soul food is healthier than its current image suggests. The material for this presentation is drawn from my James Beard Award-winning book, Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time.

An entertaining and informative look at the African Americans who have fed our First Families since the days of George Washington. In a typical presentation, I focus on the men and women who have cooked for Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Lyndon Johnson and Obama. Material for this presentation is drawn from my most recent book on African American presidential chefs, The President's Kitchen Cabinet. Upon request, I can focus my presentation on the cooks and food of your favorite president. Just let me know.

Most of the cooks in presidential history have been women. My presentation focuses on fascinating stories of the women who have cooked for Presidents Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Harrison, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Lyndon Johnson.