Black chefs and food innovators have shaped the way we eat, but their contributions are often overlooked. Here are a few names you should know:

James Hemings – The Chef Behind Mac & Cheese

An enslaved chef trained in France, Hemings introduced mac and cheese, French fries, and crème brûlée to America while working for Thomas Jefferson.

George Washington Carver – The Peanut Pioneer

While often associated with peanut butter, Carver actually invented over 300 peanut-based products, influencing food science and agriculture.

Zephyr Wright – The White House Cook Who Fought for Civil Rights

As the personal chef to President Lyndon B. Johnson, Wright used her platform to discuss racial injustice, helping push forward the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

These pioneers, along with many others, left a lasting legacy in the culinary world.