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High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America - Episode Guide

Season 1

Our Roots

Episode: 1x01 | Airdate: May 26, 2021 (59 min)

Our Roots

The hunt for African American food's roots goes to Benin, where okra and yam rule the market and pre-enslavement fish and corn plates reign at a table.


 

The Rice Kingdom

Episode: 1x02 | Airdate: May 26, 2021 (47 min)

The Rice Kingdom

In the Carolinas, Stephen looks at the human cost of rice and goes whole hog with Gullah chef BJ Dennis and those preserving Black culinary traditions.


 

Our Founding Chefs

Episode: 1x03 | Airdate: May 26, 2021 (52 min)

Our Founding Chefs

From mac and cheese to Virginia ham: Jefferson's and Washington's renowned enslaved chefs James Hemings and Hercules left the nation hungry for more.


 

Freedom

Episode: 1x04 | Airdate: May 26, 2021 (52 min)

Freedom

Barbecued brisket meets Senegalese lamb and a Juneteenth feast as Stephen heads to Texas to ride with Black cowboys and take in Jerrelle Guy's cakes.


 

Season 2

Food for the Journey

Episode: 2x01 | Airdate: Nov 22, 2023 (51 min)

Food for the Journey

From black-eyed peas to gumbo, African ingredients define New Orleans' signature dishes. Up north, the Great Migration inspires Chicago's culinary style.

The Black Mecca

Episode: 2x02 | Airdate: Nov 22, 2023 (46 min)

The Black Mecca

In Harlem, chef Charles Gabriel shares the secret to his pan-fried chicken and other trailblazers tell stories of their ancestors' connections to food.

The Defiance

Episode: 2x03 | Airdate: Nov 22, 2023 (45 min)

The Defiance

Stephen meets former student activists in Atlanta and honors the legacy of the chefs and bakers who fueled and funded the Civil Rights Movement.

Feeding the Culture

Episode: 2x04 | Airdate: Nov 22, 2023 (51 min)

Feeding the Culture

A Black Panther reflects on the pivotal free breakfast program. Luminaries gather for a special dinner and layered conversation about race and food.

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