10 Cookbooks and Memoirs by Black Chefs to Read Now

By Eden Hagos

Food writer and blogger Eden Hagos founded BLACK FOODIE to shine a light on Black cuisine and the people who cook it and love it. Through events, articles, recipes, and more, she and her team help people explore and delight in Caribbean, African, and Southern food. Here, she shares her top BLACK FOODIE book picks.

I grew up in a rich Ethiopian community enjoying heaps of injera, ful, and doro wot, but my palate was also heavily influenced by Windsor’s Italian flavours (shoutout to the best pizza!) and soul food classics like fried okra and sweet potato pie, thanks to regular trips to Detroit and the South as a teen. Like many #blackfoodies, as I’ve gotten older I’ve developed a huge appreciation for the diversity of Black culture and I’m on a mission to explore every corner of the diaspora through my digital platform, BLACK FOODIE (@blackfoodie.co).

Food is a true connector, and I always look forward to chatting with someone I don’t know over a drink and a sweet snack. There’s something about the sugar that relaxes people and gets them to open up to you in a really honest way—I think we can all agree that now is the time for a lot of tea to be poured and for even more Black voices to be heard. Whether or not you consider yourself a foodie, I recommend you check out the following cookbooks and memoirs to acquaint yourselves with incredible authors and explore food culture through a Black lens. Welcome to my world!

Jubilee

by Toni Tipton-Martin

Jubilee is truly a celebration of African-American food culture. Toni Tipton-Martin’s book is filled with so many history lessons that made cooking each of the dishes a truly immersive experience. The way she speaks about the importance of reclaiming Southern Black cuisine mirrors my own work at BLACK FOODIE and reminds me that there’s still so much to learn about the diaspora. I’ll be referencing this book for years to come.

Dining in Paradise

by Raquel Fox

I found Raquel Fox’s book to be a true lesson in Caribbean cooking. Even though I was looking for a unique Bahamian take on comfort food, I loved that her collection of recipes spanned the islands and includes remixes like Johnny Cake Chicken Pot Pie. Her book really reminded me of the incredible Black-owned restaurants I’ve visited in Montreal and Toronto, especially because she’s Canadian.

Notes from a Young Black Chef

by Kwame Onwuachi

Chef Kwame’s memoir is a must-read for anyone with a go-getter spirit and a big dream for their life. He’s pushed through so many closed doors throughout his culinary career and he’s really just getting started. As a young entrepreneur in the food space, I was very inspired by his recollections and recommend it to anyone interested in what it takes to become a critically acclaimed chef.

My Soul Looks Back

by Jessica B. Harris

Jessica B. Harris has always been one of my biggest inspirations—she’s a true trailblazer in the culinary world and has written about food from the African diaspora for decades. As a big fan of her cookbooks, this memoir gave me a glimpse into her journey and the experiences that inspired her recipes. Spoiler alert: she lived her best life!

In Pursuit of Flavor

by Edna Lewis

Edna Lewis is the Queen of Southern food as we know it, so her book is a culinary bible. Not only do the recipes in her book reflect the unique perspective of the sights and sounds of Freetown, Virginia (a town built by formerly enslaved people like her grandfather), in this book you’ll also learn a highly coveted kitchen skill: cooking with your intuition. Edna was a true trendsetter in the industry, and I’m incredibly honoured to recommend her book to you foodies, gourmands, and hobby cooks everywhere.

The Cooking Gene

by Michael W. Twitty

I really admire Michael Twitty’s storytelling prowess and his ability to explore America’s cruel past and troubling present through food. This book has added so much context and perspective to my own understanding of how African-Americans have preserved their ancestral culture through food. It’s a deep read, but a necessary one.

Vegetable Kingdom

by Bryant Terry

Bryant Terry completely changed the way I look at plant-based food. His recipes are exciting yet approachable, and he includes detailed notes and tips to support you if you’re new to the vegan lifestyle or meatless cooking in general. I also love the way he remixes African and Asian flavours to come up with delicious and filling meals.

Senegal

by Pierre Thiam

Pierre’s Thiam’s book is an amazing look into Senegalese cuisine. The incredible photography gives readers a beautiful glimpse into the culture and a pretty thorough understanding of how colonialism changed the way Senegalese people eat. It also introduces readers to Senegal’s healthy indigenous ingredients like baobab and fonio. I love that this cookbook offers remixes of traditional recipes and will give you a good handle on Senegalese flavours and techniques. Everything about this book is essential reading; I absolutely love it.

Flavors of Africa

by Evi Aki

Evi Aki’s book is an awesome introduction to African cuisine. She shares her Nigerian family recipes for pepper soup and jollof, and she also gives an excellent introduction to classic dishes from across the continent. If you’re curious about the types of foods you’ll find across Africa, start with this book.

Carla Hall’s Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration

by Carla Hall

This cookbook is just like Carla Hall’s personality: fun, bright, and rooted in history. I love that she takes us on a journey to rediscover the meals that are central to her African-American roots while sharing recipes that are inspired by the diaspora, like her tasty coconut callaloo soup. If you’re looking for an easy way to get into Southern cuisine, let Carla be your guide.

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