Cookbook Club

Southern Cooking, Global Reach

Kenny Gilbert traveled the world before he ever left home. As a child, he grew up sharing meals with friends and neighbors whose food traditions came from all over the globe. It’s not surprising, then, that he developed a robust appreciation for flavors and ingredients that originated continents away from his home state of Ohio well before he became a widely recognized and award-winning Jacksonville, Florida-based chef.

A man sprinkles seasoning on meat that is grilling.
Gilbert seasons ribs to perfection.

Gilbert’s respect for the diversity of international foodways is apparent in the recipes and stories he shares in his new cookbook, Southern Cooking, Global Flavors. He encourages readers to draw on the flavor profiles they grew up with and to cook in ways that honor who they are and where they come from. At the same time, he never loses sight of his own origins. Whether it’s his mom’s biscuits (beloved of Oprah Winfrey, as Gilbert notes in the Flavor Bomb recipe on page 26) or his dad’s ribs (the standard against which he measures all others), the dishes he teaches his readers to cook are rooted in Black Southern cuisine and culture, and pay homage to the long history of African American creativity and innovation.

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Date Published: 08.09.23

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