Adrian Miller facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Adrian Miller
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Miller at the 2014 National Book Festival in Washington, DC
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| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Smoky Hill High School Stanford University Georgetown University Law School |
| Occupation | Culinary historian, policy advisor |
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Notable work
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Soul Food The President's Kitchen Cabinet |
| Awards | James Beard Foundation Book Award for Reference and Scholarship |
Adrian Miller is an American expert on food history, especially African-American food. He is also a lawyer and a government advisor. His books have won important awards, like the James Beard Foundation Book Award. This award is like the "Oscars" for food writers. His books Soul Food (2014) and Black Smoke (2022) both won this award.
Miller also wrote The President's Kitchen Cabinet. This book was nominated for a NAACP Image Award. The NAACP Image Awards celebrate achievements by people of color in arts and entertainment. Adrian Miller even worked as an advisor for U.S. president Bill Clinton at the White House.
Contents
Early Life and School
Adrian Miller grew up in Aurora, Colorado. He went to Smoky Hill High School. After high school, he studied at Stanford University. He earned a bachelor's degree in international relations in 1991. This means he studied how different countries work together.
Later, he went to Georgetown University Law School. In 1995, he earned his law degree there.
His Career
Adrian Miller worked for the U.S. government. He was a special advisor to President Bill Clinton. He also helped lead a program called the "President's Initiative for One America." This program worked to bring people from different backgrounds together.
After leaving government work, Miller became interested in writing about food. He was inspired by a book about Southern food. This interest led him to write his first book, Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time. It was published in 2013.
Soul Food Book
For Soul Food, Miller traveled to many cities. He visited about 150 restaurants. He also did a lot of research in old records. The book explores how soul food changed as African Americans moved to different parts of the country. It shows how this food culture was "reestablished and reinterpreted." The book won the 2014 James Beard Foundation Book Award.
The President's Kitchen Cabinet Book
While researching Soul Food, Miller found many stories about African Americans who cooked in the White House. This led to his second book, The President's Kitchen Cabinet. It was published in 2017.
In this book, Miller shares the stories of African Americans who cooked for U.S. presidents. He found the names of about 150 cooks, from George Washington's time to the Obamas. The book was nominated for a NAACP Image Award in 2018.
Black Smoke Book
Miller's third book is Black Smoke: African Americans and the United States of Barbecue. It came out in 2021. This book tells the history of Black barbecue cooks and restaurant owners. It shows how important they were to barbecue culture in America. The book also includes 22 recipes. It won the 2022 James Beard Foundation Award.
Besides writing, Miller has also worked as a policy analyst for the governor of Colorado. He is also the executive director for the Colorado Council of Churches.
Personal Life
Adrian Miller lives in Denver, Colorado.
