Talks & Entertainment

At this in-person event (with a virtual attendance option), masks and proof of vaccination are required. Please review our health and safety protocols here.

This program does not include a book signing. All books will be pre-signed by the author.

In his first cookbook, My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef, the acclaimed author of Notes from a Young Black Chef shares over 125 dishes showcasing the true diversity of American food.

My America is a celebration of the food of the African Diaspora as handed down through Kwame Onwuachi’s own family history, spanning Nigeria to the Caribbean, the South to the Bronx, and beyond. From Nigerian jollof, Puerto Rican red bean sofrito, and Trinidadian channa (chickpea) curry to jambalaya, baby back ribs, and red velvet cake, these global home recipes represent the best of the patchwork that is American cuisine. Interwoven throughout the book are stories of Onwuachi’s travels, illuminating the connections between food and culture. The result is a deeply personal tribute to the food of “a land that belongs to you and yours and to me and mine.”

Onwuachi is a James Beard Award-winning chef as well as a former contestant and now recurring judge on “Top Chef.” He opened five restaurants before turning 30, including former DC eateries Kith/Kin and Shaw Bijou. Onwuachi will be in conversation with Nina Oduro, a co-founder at Dine Diaspora, an agency that connects people and brands to African food culture.