#181: Roots, Recipes & Storytelling with Antoinette Johnson

#181: Roots, Recipes & Storytelling with Antoinette Johnson

From Edible Activist by Melissa L. Jones

September 2, 2025 · 53 min · Episode 181

About this episode

Antoinette Johnson shares her journey from her Black Southern roots to her culinary success, emphasizing the importance of heritage and storytelling in food.

Chef, storyteller, and advocate Antoinette Johnson takes us back to her Black Southern roots, where family traditions and community gatherings first sparked her love for food. She shares how those early influences—and moving across different states—shaped her culinary voice and storytelling lens, leading to her big win on America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation. This is a conversation about honoring heritage, amplifying Black foodways, and carrying legacy forward—tune in for a story that will leave you inspired and hungry for more.

People in this episode

Guest: Antoinette Johnson

Topics covered

  • Black Southern roots
  • family traditions
  • community gatherings
  • culinary voice
  • storytelling
  • Black foodways
  • heritage
  • legacy

Keywords

  • food
  • cooking
  • storytelling
  • heritage
  • community

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: America’s Test Kitchen: The Next Generation

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