James Hemings: A Founding Father of American Cuisine
Black people have always been said to be able to make do with the scraps. Due to enslavement, a common belief is that we can “make something out of nothing.” Though there may be some truth to that statement, black Americans have contributed greatly to weaving the fabric of America, including the culinary world. James Hemings: Ghost in America’s Kitchen explores the life of James Hemings a black chef born into slavery in 1765. In a time when black people were seen as property, the Ghost in America’s Kitchen sets out to “recognize there was a group of people who performed at a very high level,” says Tonya Hopkins, Food Historian.
Hemings was brother-in-law to Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. Jefferson married Martha Wayles in 1772. Hemings was inherited by Martha after the death of her father John Wayles. Born the son of an enslaved woman, Elizabeth Hemings, and John Wayles, Hemings was Martha’s half-brother.
As a teenager Hemings was Jefferson’s personal attendant. Hemings’ career as a chef began with a trip to France when he was summoned by Jefferson. His studies of the culinary arts led him to become the head chef at Jefferson’s residence, also known as the American embassy. While in France Hemings became literate in the French language. According to French chef Jacques Pépin, it was “amazing for him to make the complexity of the food, and [run] the team in the kitchen, in that little amount of time, in another language.”
“There is a lost generation of African American chefs, and the nation’s cuisine is the poorer for it.”
The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen
By Jacques Pépin
In the late 1700’s Philadelphia was the capital of the United States. During this time Hemings traveled back to America with Jefferson, and his team of black chefs, bringing fine dining along with them to Philadelphia. In his capacity as head chef, Hemings cooked for everyone from the President to international diplomatic visitors. Though he continued to cook for Jefferson, through the abolition of slavery in Philadelphia, Hemings was able to negotiate his freedom. Jefferson required Hemings to teach a person of Jefferson’s choosing to be “a good cook” before he could be free.
The James Hemings Society
Today the James Hemings Society, founded by Chef Ashbell McElveen, is “dedicated to serving, unearthing, and illuminating the significant contributions of James Hemings; along with countless under-acknowledged food and drink professionals of African descent throughout American history.” Chef Ashbell comes from a family of cooks, including his mother, an executive chef. He spent 10 years living in France, and 15 years in the UK where he opened his own restaurant.
As we watch the story of Hemings unfold in Ghost in America’s Kitchen, we walk along with Chef Ashbell’s journey as well on his path to discovering the history of Hemings. As Chef Ashbell’s eyes are opened to Hemings’ impact on America’s culinary history, we hear from culinary historians, authors, and celebrity chefs, like Toni Tipton- Martin, Heather Johnston, Glenn Ellis, and Adrian Miller.
“Before I met the director Anthony Werhun, I had been at Chateau Chantilly, where James Hemings trained to be a master chef de cuisine.” In the documentary, Chef McElveen describes a time at the Beard house where he did a tribute to Jefferson and the ‘Africans that worked in his kitchen’. At this time he was not aware of the history of James Hemings, he only heard, what he thought was a rumor at the time, that one of Jefferson’s brothers accompanied him to France to become a chef. Later he describes feeling a connection to Hemings, as a spiritual encounter, and he is not alone. Michael Twitty recounts a similar experience, defining food as “something that provides a communication, a mystical experience, between the living, the dead, and those yet to be born.”
Hemings is said to have introduced or heavily influenced Americans’ current-day preparation of ice cream, macaroni and cheese, whipped cream, crème brûlée, and French fries. Thérèse Nelson, Founder BlackCulinaryhistory.com adds that “you can’t tell honest stories about American foodways without telling the black culinary parts of it.”
There is a greater history many of us have yet to explore, a greater culinary history of America, and the Ghost in America’s kitchen gives us a starting point to begin that exploration toward awareness and appreciation of black culinarians’ contribution to American cuisine.
The James Hemings: Ghost in America’s Kitchen documentary is available to watch now through Amazon Prime Video.
Discover more from Flights and Foods
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
4,576 Comments
kilat333
Hi there just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words in your article seem to be running off the screen in Opera. I’m not sure if this is a formatting issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I figured I’d post to let you know. The design and style look great though! Hope you get the problem fixed soon. Many thanks
the brain song
It is the best time to make some plans for the longer term and it is time to be happy. I have learn this submit and if I could I wish to recommend you some attention-grabbing issues or advice. Perhaps you could write next articles referring to this article. I want to learn more things approximately it!
kilat333
Wow, incredible blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is excellent, as well as the content!
gelatin trick
What’s Happening i am new to this, I stumbled upon this I’ve found It positively useful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to contribute & assist other users like its helped me. Great job.
gelatin trick
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Thank you!
optivell review
Hello, i think that i saw you visited my site so i came to “return the favor”.I am trying to find things to enhance my website!I suppose its ok to use a few of your ideas!!
optivell
I just couldn’t leave your website before suggesting that I actually enjoyed the standard info an individual supply on your guests? Is gonna be again often in order to investigate cross-check new posts
slim burn
Pretty great post. I just stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to mention that I’ve truly enjoyed surfing around your weblog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I am hoping you write once more soon!
boostaro
Hi there, simply become aware of your blog thru Google, and located that it’s really informative. I am going to watch out for brussels. I’ll be grateful should you continue this in future. A lot of people can be benefited out of your writing. Cheers!
7pwin
I will right away grab your rss feed as I can not in finding your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please permit me realize in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.
boostaro review
certainly like your web site however you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to inform the truth however I’ll surely come back again.
7iwin
Simply a smiling visitant here to share the love (:, btw great style and design. “Competition is a painful thing, but it produces great results.” by Jerry Flint.
Internal comms platforms
This is really attention-grabbing, You’re an excessively professional blogger. I have joined your feed and sit up for looking for extra of your excellent post. Also, I have shared your web site in my social networks!
Environmental Test Chamber
Hi, i think that i noticed you visited my web site so i came to “go back the desire”.I am attempting to find issues to improve my site!I assume its good enough to use some of your ideas!!
kilat333
Rattling instructive and fantastic body structure of articles, now that’s user genial (:.
lotto champ review
Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
kilat333
When I initially commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four e-mails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Many thanks!
the brain song review
You are a very clever person!
testar iptv 6 horas
Valuable info. Lucky me I found your web site by accident, and I’m shocked why this accident did not happened earlier! I bookmarked it.
ip tv
A lot of thanks for each of your hard work on this blog. Gloria really loves working on research and it’s really easy to understand why. I notice all of the powerful form you create vital information through the web site and as well as inspire contribution from other people on that subject matter and my daughter is always understanding a great deal. Enjoy the rest of the year. You have been carrying out a remarkable job.