One of the biggest names in culinary history and the African diaspora is hosting an intimate talk in St. Pete this month. The Foundation for a Healthy St. Pete’s Center for Health Equity continues its Speakers Who Inspire series with an April 29 conversation featuring award-winning author and culinary historian Michael W. Twitty. Registration is open here.
Today’s foremost expert in the field, Twitty focuses on historic African American food and folk culture and culinary traditions of history. The program runs from 6-7:30 pm on Wednesday, April 29, with doors opening at 5 pm for those who want to arrive early for dinner. A book signing will follow from 7:30-8 pm in partnership with Tombolo Books.
A nationally recognized voice in food history
Twitty’s work focuses on the food traditions of the African diaspora, particularly the ways African American cuisine developed in the American South. His book, “The Cooking Gene” traces that history through a mix of archival research, genealogy, and personal narrative. It received two James Beard Awards in 2018 for Food Writing and Book of the Year, making Twitty the first African American recipient of those honors.
His writing has appeared in major national outlets, and his essay “I Had Never Eaten in Ghana Before. But My Ancestors Had” was included in The Best American Food Writing 2019. In addition to his books, he founded Afroculinaria, a long-running project documenting historic African American foodways and has led hundreds of cooking demonstrations and workshops at institutions including the Smithsonian and Colonial Williamsburg.
What to expect at the author talk
The discussion will focus on how food connects to broader systems: history, culture, and economics, and how those systems shape everyday life.
Topics will include:
The historical roots of African American cuisine and its ties to West African food traditions
How foodways carry cultural memory across generations
Current challenges within modern food systems, including access to nutritious food
Practical ways individuals and communities can reclaim agency through growing, cooking, and sharing food
There will be time for audience Q&A following the talk.
Event details
Date: Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Doors: Open at 5:00 p.m. for dinner
Post-event: Book signing from 7:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Organizers ask attendees to arrive before the program begins so the discussion can start on time.
