Food and the American Story
Details
Hear directly from chefs about how food connects to history, place, and belonging.
This program begins with a live conversation featuring Chefs Cliff Rome, Maya-Camille Broussard, Matthew Raiford, and Adrian Miller, moderated by Chef Erick Williams. The discussion explores how culinary traditions—from farming to baking to beverages—reflect personal and collective histories, including the movement of people and culture from the South to the Midwest.
After the talk, you can move into the atrium to try dishes prepared by chefs from across Chicago, in partnership with Chicago Chefs Cook. Event attendees must be 18+.
Local chefs from Chicago Chefs Cook:
Sarah Stegner — Prairie Grass Cafe
Sebastian White — The Evolved Network
Damarr Brown — Virtue Restaurant & Bar
Tigist Reda — Demera Ethiopian Restaurant
DeAndre Carter — Soul & Smoke
Maya-Camille Broussard — Justice of the Pies
Darnell Reed — Luella’s Southern Kitchen
Sahil Sethi — Sifrki
Rick Bayless — Frontera Grill, Topolobambo, and Xoco
Greg Wade — Publican Bakery
Dana Cree — Pretty Cool Ice Cream
Zach Engel — Galit
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A You Are America Event
To celebrate 250 years of American progress, this summer the Obama Presidential Center is hosting a series of community events and sparking a wider conversation about how we can shape our next 250 years. From inspiring talks and films to community engagement and empowering voices, You Are America honors how far we’ve come and looks ahead to where we can go together.
Featuring
Chicago Chefs Cook
Chicago Chefs Cook unites and empowers Chicagoland chefs to raise funds in support of humanitarian causes that are on the hearts and minds of our city’s culinary community.
Cliff Rome
Chef Rome is a Chicago-based chef and entrepreneur whose career spans Paris, Cannes, and luxury yachts. He is the founder of Rome’s Joy Companies, a portfolio that includes Peach’s on 47th, Rome’s Joy Catering, and multiple ventures rooted in Chicago’s Bronzeville community.
Maya-Camille Broussard
Maya-Camille Broussard is the chef and owner of Justice of the Pies, a South Side Chicago bakery rooted in food justice. A Bake Squad star and 2022 James Beard finalist, she’s also an award-winning cookbook author and founder of the Broussard Justice Foundation, advancing equity and food access.
Adrian Miller
Adrian Miller is a two-time James Beard Award-winning culinary author, Certified Speaking Professional, and recovering attorney. He has authored four acclaimed books exploring soul food, barbecue history, and the chefs who shaped presidential cuisine, bringing scholarly rigor, cultural insight, and dynamic storytelling to audiences nationwide.
Matthew Raiford
Matthew Raiford is a sixth-generation farmer at Gilliard Farms in Georgia, rooted in Gullah Geechee traditions. A chef, author of Bress ‘N’ Nyam, and speaker, he blends food, culture, and land stewardship, with over 25 years in hospitality and appearances on Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay.
Erick Williams
Chef Erick Williams is the founder of Virtue Hospitality Group, whose acclaimed restaurants include Virtue Restaurant & Bar, Daisy's Po-Boy and Tavern, and Cantina Rosa. Since opening Virtue in Chicago's Hyde Park in 2018, Williams has earned national recognition for his soulful cuisine rooted in history, culture, and community. In 2022, he became the first Black chef to receive the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes.
Plan Your Visit
Elie Wiesel Auditorium
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