10 Of Our Favorite Cookbooks Written by Black Chefs and Authors

10 Of Our Favorite Cookbooks Written by Black Chefs and Authors


4 minute read

Are your taste buds bored with the preparation of the favorite items on your culinary playlist? Looking to expand your culinary repertoire or build new cooking muscles in the kitchen? Discover these tasteful new cookbooks from Black Chefs and cookbook authors. Each book is not only packed with tasteful and unique new recipes, in addition, each also tells a unique and compelling story.

Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day

JJ JOHNSON AND ALEXANDER SMALLS

This book branches far beyond “soul food” to explore the melding of Asian, African, and American flavors. The Afro Asian flavor profile is a window into the intersection of the Asian diaspora and the African diaspora. An homage to this cultural culinary path and the grievances and triumphs along the way, Between Harlem and Heaven isn’t fusion, but a glimpse into a cuisine that made its way into the thick of Harlem’s cultural renaissance. 

SOUL: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes

TODD RICHARDS
Black American chefs and cooks are often typecast as the experts of only one cuisine—soul food, but Todd Richards’ food is anything but stereotypical. Taste his Hot-Chicken-Style Country-Fried Lamb Steak or Blueberry-Sweet Tea-Brined Chicken Thighs as evidence.

Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking: A Cookbook

Toni Tipton-Martin

Adapted from historical texts and rare African-American cookbooks, the 125 recipes of Jubilee paint a rich, varied picture of the true history of African-American cooking: a cuisine far beyond soul food.

Son of a Southern Chef: Cook with Soul

Lazarus Lynch

A wildly inventive soul food bible from a two-time Chopped winner and the host of Snapchat’s first-ever cooking show. In his debut cookbook, Laz offers up more than 100 recipe hits with new takes on classic dishes like Brown Butter Candy Yam Mash with Goat Cheese Brülée, Shrimp and Crazy Creamy Cheddar Grits, and Dulce de Leche Banana Pudding.

The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food: A Cookbook

Marcus Samuelsson
The Rise gathers together an unforgettable feast of food, culture, and history to highlight the diverse deliciousness of Black cooking today.

Black Girl Baking: Wholesome Recipes Inspired by a Soulful Upbringing

Jerrelle Guy
A unique collection of recipes and stories of how baking has played a major role in the author’s life. The stunning images are captured by the author, one of America’s premier food photographers.

Grandbaby Cakes: Modern Recipes, Vintage Charm, Soulful Memories

Jocelyn Delk Adams

Grandbaby Cakes pairs charming stories of Big Mama’s kitchen with recipes ranging from classic standbys to exciting adventures—helpfully marked by degree of difficulty—that will inspire your own family for years to come. Adams creates sophisticated flavor combinations based on Big Mama’s gorgeous centerpiece cakes, giving each recipe something familiar mixed with something new.

In Bibi’s Kitchen

HAWA HASSAN

Grandmothers from eight eastern African countries welcome you into their kitchens to share flavorful recipes and stories of family, love, and tradition in this transporting cookbook-meets-travelogue.

Vegetable Kingdom: The Abundant World of Vegan Recipes 

Bryant Terry

Food justice activist and author Bryant Terry breaks down the fundamentals of plant-based cooking in Vegetable Kingdom, showing you how to make delicious meals from popular vegetables, grains, and legumes. Recipes like Dirty Cauliflower, Barbecued Carrots with Slow-Cooked White Beans, Millet Roux Mushroom Gumbo, and Citrus & Garlic-Herb-Braised Fennel are enticing enough without meat substitutes, instead relying on fresh ingredients, vibrant spices, and clever techniques to build flavor and texture. 

The Up South Cookbook: Chasing Dixie in a Brooklyn Kitchen

Nicole Taylor

The Up South Cookbook is a bridge to the past and a door to the future. The recipes in this deeply personal cookbook offer classic Southern favorites informed and updated by newly-discovered ingredients and different cultures. Here she gives us pimento cheese elevated with a dollop of creme fraiche, grits flavored with New York State Cheddar and blue cheese, and deviled eggs made with smoked trout from her favorite Jewish deli. Other favorites include Collard Greens Pesto and Pasta, Roasted Duck with Cheerwine Cherry Sauce, and Benne and Banana Sandwich Cookies.

« Back to Blog