Meet Adrian Miller of The Soul Food Scholar in Southeast Denver

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adrian Miller.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Adrian. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I grew up in Denver and then Aurora. I went to Stanford University and Georgetown University Law Center. After a few years as an attorney at a couple of Denver law firms, I was deeply dissatisfied. It got to the point where I was singing spirituals in my office, but fortunately, I got a job in the Clinton White House. I served as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton and Deputy Director of the President’s Initiative for One America.

With the latter, I worked on policies that furthered racial, ethnic, and religious reconciliation. After my White House stint, I returned to Colorado to work as the Director of Outreach and General Counsel of the Bell Policy Center, a progressive think tank dedicated to making Colorado a state of opportunity for all. I then became the Deputy Legislative Director, and later, a Senior Policy Analyst for Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. When the governor decided against running for re-election, I pursued my passion for culinary history.

I became The Soul Food Scholar, and I have spent the following decade researching and writing critically-acclaimed books on the history of soul food and African American presidential chefs. I’m currently writing a book on the history of African American barbecue culture. In addition to writing books, I write freelance articles and do public speaking on a variety of topics. I continue to work part-time at the Colorado Council of Churches which is a statewide religious and social justice organization.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. When I dedicated time to becoming a culinary historian, many doubted my ability to write a book on soul food. They thought it would fail miserably, and I was wasting my very expensive college and legal education. Writing is tough because of the periods of isolation and intense focus involved, and the uncertainty that one’s work will be well-received. Very few publishers have shown interest in my work, even after the accolades that I’ve received (a James Beard Award, finalist for an NAACP Image Award, finalist for a Colorado Book Award). Even though people enjoy my presentations, I don’t get invited to do many speaking gigs outside of Black History Month (February). It’s also a struggle to get compensated as much as other public speakers. So many people want me to do things for free or for very little cost

Please tell us more about your work. What do you do? What do you specialize in? What sets you apart from competition?
I love writing books about African heritage culinary history and cuisines. I’m most known for the books that I’ve written. The first was “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time.” That book won the 2014 James Beard Foundation Book Award for Reference and Scholarship. My second book is “The President’s Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families from the Washingtons to the Obamas.” I’m currently working on “Black Smoke: African American Adventures in Barbecue.” In addition, I’ve traveled the world talking about the topics covered in my books. It’s been such a wonderful journey seeing people embrace my books and using them as a platform to learn more and do exciting things. My ability to inform, entertain, and make people laugh sets me apart as a writer and a public speaker.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I wish that I had taken more risks a few years earlier. It would have helped me lay the groundwork to transition from a traditional career path to the more entrepreneurial path I’m on now.

Pricing:

• “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time”–$20.00
• “The President’s Kitchen Cabinet: The Story of the African Americans Who Have Fed Our First Families, from the Washingtons to the Obamas”–$20.00

Contact Info:

• Address: 2880 S. Locust Street, 700
  Denver, CO 80222
• Website: www.soulfoodscholar.com
• Phone: (303) 917-3864
• Email: soulfoodscholar@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulfoodscholar/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulfoodscholar/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/soulfoodscholar
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/mwlite/in/adrian-miller-792b885

Image Credit:
Bernard Grant, Tyrus Ortega Gaines

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