Jessica B. Harris

Jessica B. Harris is a culinary historian, college professor, cookbook author, and journalist. She is a professor emerita at Queens College, City University of New York, where she taught for 50 years.

In the 1970s, Harris worked as a journalist before becoming a food writer. She was a book review editor at Essence and a theater critic for New York Amsterdam News, the United States' oldest black newspaper. Harris has published 15 books on culinary history, foodways, and recipes of the African diaspora, including "Iron Pots and Wooden Spoons: Africa's Gifts to New World Cooking," "Beyond Gumbo: Creole Fusion Food from the Atlantic Rim," and "High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America."

Harris is a member of the faculty in the English Department at Queens College/C.U.N.Y. She hosts a monthly program, "My Welcome Table", on Heritage Radio Network. Her expertise and contributions to the field of food history have earned her the James Beard Foundation Awards twice, including the Lifetime Achievement award in 2020, and recognition as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2021.

In May 2021 Netflix released a four-episode series "High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America" based on, and with a nearly identical title to, Harris' 2011 book "High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America." Harris has appeared on various television shows such as "The Today Show," "The Main Ingredient," "The Curtis Aikens Show," and "Good Morning America," and has been featured in publications such as The New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Cut.

Her most recent book is the memoir "My Soul Looks Back." Harris's reflections about the impact of Hurricane Katrina and other experiences have been shared in interviews with The Martha's Vineyard Times and other publications. Her public speaking engagements, including appearances on the TV show "Reset The Table," have made her a valuable voice on topics related to African and Creole cuisine.