Michael W. Twitty

Michael W. Twitty was an author, blogger, and culinary historian who published the award winning culinary history book The Cooking Gene in February of 2018. Twitty was born and raised in Washington, D.C. and grew to love food as a young boy after taking a trip to nearby Colonial Williamsburg. It was there that his passion for food evolved into learning about culinary history and its impact on various cultures. Twitty's love of culinary history would stay with him even as he entered Howard University to study African-American studies and anthropology. His time at the university, however, would be short-lived, as Twitty eventually left the University due to financial issues. Undeterred, and newly unburdened from the classroom, Twitty decided to devote his free time to his growing interest in culinary history. Thus, in 2010 he launched his Afroculinaria blog, which focused on the intersection of food and culture in both African and African-American communities. The blog quickly drew a devoted following, with Twitty in particular earning widespread praise for his thoughtful writing and expertise on the subject. Then in 2013 an open letter Twitty posted on his Afroculinaria blog in regards to celebrity chef Paula Deen's use of a racial slur went viral, thus catapulting Twitty into the media spotlight seemingly overnight. With all the newfound attention and exposure, Twitty was able to sign a book contract to author his very first book. That book was The Cooking Gene, which was published in February of 2018. The book examined African-American culinary history in the Old South, and went on to win the prestigious James Beard Foundation Book Award later that year.