Michael W. Twitty facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael W. Twitty
Michael Twitty speaking in 2013
Born	1977 (age 47–48) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Occupation	Author, culinary historian, historical interpreter
Notable work	The Cooking Gene

Michael W. Twitty (born in 1977) is an African-American Jewish writer, food historian, and teacher. He is famous for his book The Cooking Gene. This book won the 2018 James Beard Foundation Book Award for Book of the Year. It also won an award for its writing.

About Michael W. Twitty

Michael Twitty helps us understand the history of food. He focuses on how African American traditions have shaped cooking in the Southern United States. He teaches people about this history through his writing, cooking, and tours.

His Early Life and Learning

Michael Twitty was born in Washington, D.C., in 1977. His parents were William Lee Twitty and Patricia Anita Townsend. He has family roots from the Mende and Akan groups, as well as Irish ancestors. He learned about his Irish family through genetic testing and old records. Some of his Irish ancestors were involved in slavery.

Michael first became interested in traditional cooking when he was a child. He visited Colonial Williamsburg, a place where history is brought to life. He studied African-American studies and anthropology at Howard University. He also took a trip to Israel in 2004.

His Work and Projects

In 2010, Michael Twitty started a blog called Afroculinaria. This blog is all about the history of African and African-American foodways, which means how food is grown, prepared, and eaten.

He also worked with the D. Landreth Seed Company in 2010. He helped them create a special collection of old seeds called the African American Heritage Collection. This collection included about 30 different plants, like the long-handled dipper gourd and the fish pepper. These plants were very important for African Americans to survive and be independent.

In 2011, he began his "Cooking Gene" project. This project became the basis for his first book, The Cooking Gene, which came out in 2017. His second book, Koshersoul, was published in 2022.

The Southern Discomfort Tour

Michael Twitty created and leads the Southern Discomfort Tour. This is a journey through the American South. The tour helps people understand how racism affected Southern cooking. On this tour, Michael recreates the experiences of his enslaved ancestors. He picks cotton, chops wood, works in fields, and cooks in old plantation kitchens.

Public Speaking and Recognition

Michael Twitty became more well-known in 2013. He wrote an open letter to chef Paula Deen. That same year, he spoke at the MAD symposium in Copenhagen. In 2016, he gave a TED talk in Vancouver. His talk was called "Gastronomy and the social justice reality of food."

In 2016, he received the first Culinary Pioneer Award from Tastetalks. He also won awards for a letter he wrote to chef Sean Brock on his Afroculinaria blog. In January 2017, Colonial Williamsburg named him its first Revolutionary in Residence.

In January 2023, Michael Twitty was interviewed by Henry Louis Gates Jr. on the TV show The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross.

Personal Life

Michael Twitty was raised in a Christian family. He later converted to Judaism when he was 25 years old.