The Rise: Black Cooks and The Soul of American Food

What is Black food? There is no single answer, but Marcus Samuelsson, chef of Harlem’s Red Rooster, is willing to spread his arms wide and embrace a multitude of ideas as he explores the contributions of Black cooks to American cooking, past and present.

Featuring Samuelsson’s own recipe creations, most of them inspired by a panoply of home cooks and culinary professionals, The Rise captures a world’s worth of ideas and influences. Among those to whom the chef pays tribute:

• David Zilber, former director of fermentation at Noma
• Stephen Satterfield, co-founder of Whetstone magazine
• Jessica Harris, pioneering food scholar
• Donna Pierce, journalist
• Rodney Scott, pitmaster
• Cheryl Day, chef
• Joe Stinchcomb, bartender

As for the food, it’s remarkably varied as well: flaky andouille and callaloo hand pies with red pepper sambal; tomato and peach salad with okra, radishes, and benne seed dressing; grilled chickpea flatbread with lentil dal; grilled short ribs with piri piri marinade.

Not like anything else we’ve seen.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.