Don’t Feel Bad if You Don’t Know Who James Hemings is. It was entirely by design
This year, as America celebrates 250 years of Independence, is also the 230th anniversary of Chef James Hemings’ manumission in 1796 from Thomas Jefferson — who actually wrote the Declaration of said independence. We all know by now the distressing irony that this author of the most famous document on freedom and equality in the world was an enslaver of other humans, for his entire lifetime. And he lived to be 83. Truth be told, from the start every US president enslaved people — with the exception of only two, John Adams (#2) and his son John Quincy Adams (#6). For over half a century, until we get past #12 (Taylor) and then it’s not even until we get past #18 (Grant) where having owned humans at some point wasn’t the “norm” — anywhere from one, a handful, or hundreds.
But what makes Jefferson exceptionally …ironic as the man who most eloquently proclaimed freedom and equality, he held the highest number of humans in bondage of all. 600+. Washington, regarded as the “moral compass” of the bunch, clocks in a distant second with roughly 317. So Jefferson wasn’t just a slaveholder — he was the record holder.
And an extraordinary human being named James Hemings was his property — Until he wasn’t. How Hemings negotiated and ultimately secured his own freedom from Jefferson is rather remarkable in and of itself...
Meet America’s Original Chef de Cuisine — At Long Last. (Let’s Make It Ever-lasting, Shall We?).
James Hemings became our nation’s first classically trained chef de cuisine — elevating the culinary arts and forging a path toward the creation of a uniquely American cuisine like no one before him. He honed his mastery in the most elite kitchens of France, initiated by Jefferson during his ambassadorship (1784–1789). For a host of power-dynamic reasons, Jefferson has long received all the credit for James’ painstaking work and accomplishments — a mastery of French technique innovatively adapted in pursuit of perfection, appearing in recipe books attributed to Jefferson and his family. And through the rigorous training of other enslaved cooks — including his brother Peter, others at Monticello and work camp plantations nearby — Hemings ignited a culinary domino effect that rippled throughout America’s vast geography post-Emancipation, endowing countless professional cooks, caterers, and chefs with specific skillsets for generations to come. Yet his genius and profound impact remain largely invisible.
As a primary food & drink historian, writer, and speaker on Hemings’ considerable contributions to the American culinary arts — alongside Chef Ashbell McElveen, Founder of the James Hemings Society — I say there’s no time like the present to course correct to put an end to his erasure,......to write James back "into the narrative" — to borrow a line from Eliza's finale in Hamilton, a musical in which James is conspicuously absent. More on that in a post closer to June 20th, which is the anniversary of the real-life pivotal historical event that informed that same musical's "The Room Where It Happened"scene. Solidifying the legacy of a trailblazing young man who is, by every measure, at the very least a Founding Father of Iconic American Foods — is the right thing to do especially in this Semi-Quincentennial year when those very same foods will be central to so many celebrations……
They Erased Their Birthdates? Well Then We Claim All The Other Relevant Celebratory Dates We Find
Like the majority of the enslaved, James’ story doesn’t start with his birthdate. That’s because it was never recorded or conveyed. Just one of many deliberate, dehumanizing protocols of American enslavement — a psychological tool intended to strip away significance of self from the start. The year James was born, 1765, was recorded — as that was useful for financial value and labor potential tracking purposes. A specific day of birth, however, was viewed by the system of slavery as more valuable to outright ignore.
Real Talk: The Sacred Tradition They Tried to Sever ✨ 🙏🏾✨
In pondering this unsurprising reality, I could see how non-recorded birthdates carry even bigger negative consequence within a specific cultural context. Honoring the ancestors has always been sacred among many cultures, African heritage peoples in particular — throughout the diaspora. Birthdates, death dates, important anniversaries and accomplishments are more than simply special occasions — they also serve as contemporary timing prompts: collective calls to action to speak their names aloud, raise a glass, pour out libations — for keeping us, the living, connected to the ancestral beings who came before us. By doing so accessing an empowering source that’s not unlike docking into a vast reservoir of energy and resilience.
Intentional “ignore-ance” of their birthdates is therefore a most destructive act, that aimed to nullify their very existence — and in doing so to potentially sever that powerful, spiritual conduit that allows future generations to literally “re-member” them, to remain connected. And yet — here we are. Still connected. Still remembering. Still pouring out libations and raising our glasses high to the sky….
James in his day — and us today may have been denied the decency of celebrating his precise born day. But luckily, there are quite a few opportunities and affiliated dates that emerge as options to offset that egregious practice of omission. We have ways make lemonade out of lemons if you will. An idiom with far more meaning than you might imagine [as the early stewards of citrus in the Americas our ancestors literally did just that. Sour orange aide, lime aide, heck — mojitos!…you get my drift]. I say we claim ‘em all:
Claimable Dates Galore 🗓️!
April 11th — Just this past weekend, this jumped out at me on one of those holiday days calendars : "National James Day" — apparently for ANYONE named James and takes place each year. Not a designated "James HEMINGS Day" per se, but hey an otherwise near perfect day to claim for him. 😄
April 13th — The Birthdays of both Thomas Jefferson (b . 1743) AND Edna Lewis (b. 1916) two of the most prominent Foundational American Foodies who hail from the same Virginian soil. That’s TODAY (well it was April 13th when I was still writing this and aimed to post— Lord only knows what day it’ll be by the time I find the ridiculous amt of time it takes to write —WELL! or at least aim for well — AND do EVERYTHING else under the sun all the time. Too much. Sigh…) so stay tuned for another post to follow — that reveals James as a culinary ‘glue’ (or shall we say “roux” — pronounced “roo” — yes yes yes, a Frenchified foodie term — much better!) … between those two and poses the question what if James’ (unrecorded) birthday is April 13th too? Without any record to know for sure, it is entirely possible we might have a Founding Foodies Bday Trifecta! That’d be a seriously cosmic cause for celebration of not only TWO but THREE powerhouse Culinary influencers today!
June 20th —as mentioned briefly above is the anniversary of the Compromise Dinner of 1790 , aka Dinner Table Bargain — commemorating the night Thomas Jefferson hosted Alexander Hamilton and James Madison for a momentous, fate of the nation deciding, meal-based-meeting famously depicted in the Hamilton scene and song “The Room Where It Happened.” Chef Hemings is who made that multi-course, gargantuan problem-melting meal happen! James deserves an oversized arrangement of premium petals and fragrant grandifloras for that feat alone — no not for the dinner table’s centerpiece — for him — to place wherever he might have had any inkling of space regarded as his own …heck some can even be edible — muses for his immense culinary creativity — and a few functional ones with which he could make relaxing or stimulating teas. Wow that was fun to imagine!
James Hemings’ JULY! ☀️🍟🍦🍨🍮 Not only is the entire month of July “National Culinary Arts Month” it also happens to be jam-packed with (holi)days showcasing James Hemings-related dishes. That’s right, the majority of now-iconic, ubiquitous dishes he’s credited with introducing and Americanizing (e.g., french fries, mac and cheese, vanilla ice cream and more!) each have a designated food day in July — which is also MY birthday month (born on July 3rd aka “Independence Day Eve”) and I’m delighted to include all of that indulgent deliciousness into my celebration too…
July 14th 🇫🇷— Important Note About Bastille Day: years ago, another key date jumped out at me during my research: James Hemings —in Paris, cooking not only for Jefferson but also for notable figures over those five Paris years, including the Marquis de Lafayette and even Marie Antoinette — was there nearby on that fateful July 14th day in 1789. Bastille Day: the storming that ignited the French Revolution. Likely doing what a master chef does on any given day — even fateful ones: procuring, prepping, executing — while history erupted in the streets all around him. A brilliant young man who bore witness to the start of TWO of the western world's definitive Revolutions simply cannot be written out of both!… Oh AND I dunno if it’s cosmic coincidence or by design but July 14th is now also Macaroni & Cheese Day in America (pretty sure you’ll stay tuned for more on that….)
“Culinary professionals, restaurateurs, bar buyer, cultural programmers, brand strategists and more: no surprise July’s such a wonderful window for celebrating America’s major milestone — especially via it’s iconic drinks and dishes — especially those developed by our first classically trained chef — who was such an integral part of our nation’s narrative of Liberty and Freedom for ALL!” ~ Tonya aka The Food (&Drinks!) Griot
February 5th — La Date de Résistance — marks the Anniversary of James Hemings’ Manumission and is the date I've been campaigning to officially designate as James Hemings Day — his documented freedom from Thomas Jefferson in 1796 — and the most significant calendar moment of them all.
To officially establish a “Day,” there needs to be ample documented public recognition tied to the proposed date. The more folks who comment on, repost, or share posts like this one, the better! Whichever option you choose, just be sure to include the words “February 5th” and “James Hemings Day.” Repetition is the record. No petitions, no postage, no financial contributions required. Simply your typed, posted support and traction over time. DM me with any Q’s! 🕯️
Other Calendar Date Options Abound: e.g., the biennial “Worldchefs Congress & Expo” is May 16–19 this year, “National Personal Chef Day” is Thursday July 16, 2026, “International Chefs Day” is Tuesday, October 20th 2026, plus various and sundry dates associated with premier and prestige organizations: The James Beard Awards (held annually, usually in June), The Bocuse d’Or World Final, and The Michelin Guide Ceremonies. Let me know what’s on your culinary calendar this year and how it all connects!
The current between ancestral remembrance, cultural connections and our colorfully communal tables throughout the Americas runs deep, a source I’ll continue to draw from throughout this Semi-Quincentennial year and always— especially during what I’ve come to call Remembrance Season (aka the Season of GRACE), returning later this year (late Oct–late Nov). So stay tuned… 🍁🍂 🕯️
LASTLY FOR NOW, But not at all least! MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
🇫🇷 Coming This November: An “African-Americans in Paris” Themed Dinner — Inspired by James Hemings, Curated by Yours Truly in conjunction with Founder & Travel Artist Gai Spann of SPANNing the Globe Tours (STG Tours).
WHAT: An immersive, multi-course story telling experience honoring James Hemings’ transformative years of apprenticing and cooking professionally in Paris France during the years of 1784–1789 . He emerged to became the first classically trained, American born and raised to serve as chef de cuisine at major diplomatic residences, masterfully weaving Virginian ingredients and traditions into elite French technique. thus developing an arguably uniquely American expression of cuisine..
WHEN: This November, during Thanksgiving week,
This dinner will be the culminating celebration of the Noir Et Rosé: The Bordeaux Experience — a first-of-its-kind luxury river cruise through France’s legendary wine region, led by Gai Spann of Spanning the Globe Tours. The Paris dinner itself is an intimate experience for approximately 20 guests. Space is extremely limited.
For information on the full voyage or the Paris dinner part, contact STG Tours directly gai@stgtours.com / (718) 789-1242 🇫🇷✨
Thanks So Much For Pulling Up to my very first TFG Table Topic here on Substack! 🥂👩🏽🍳🍽️ 🍷
I’m so excited to use this medium to help make America’s Semi-Quincentennial year matter even more for so many of us who are made to feel marginalized by much of the mainstream hoopla (and hidden history!) around it — By creatively honoring un-ignorable, ancestral legacies like James’ despite his and their being denied so much before. Remember: we’re making some delicious sour-citrus-ade 🍋 🍋🟩 😋 with all those proverbial lemons, limes and such — yes we’re most certainly spiking it sometimes too — and toasting with it in any iteration — as we claim all kinds of relevant calendar dates plus do our small part to land James his official day in the months ahead
For deeper dives on America’s Amazing first classically trained chef de cuisine, visit The Food Griot’s James Hemings Hub: a curated collection of audio 🎧, video 🎥, articles ✍🏽, and resources 👩🏽💻 Content is added and updated often so be sure to check in periodically.
You might also enjoy my 🇺🇸AMERICA🎂TURNS 250 THIS YEAR!🎈 HUB that’s there too. In fact, James is mentioned and featured in the first two mini videos by the way so yay!
Let’s Connect I’ve seen through my own case studies how what I call “applied culinary history” like this functions as cultural intelligence and strategic capital for the hospitality industry and the wider food & beverage ecosystem.
If you’re ready to unleash the power of hidden history for your product, brand, or mission—let’s talk. 🥂 [Links to my Contact and About Pages]
Stay tuned — See you again soon! 👀