02/09/2026
Meet Chef James Hemings — the father of American cuisine.
From French Fries to Crème Brûlée, Hemings’ DNA is in every kitchen across the country.
Born in 1765 in colonial Virginia, James Hemings was brought to Monticello as a nine-year-old boy, enslaved to Thomas Jefferson. At 19, Hemings traveled to France with Jefferson to be trained in the art of French cooking. While in Paris, he studied with the caterer and restaurateur, Monsieur Combeaux, and apprenticed with pastry chefs and a cook in the household of the Prince de Condé. Chef Heming is responsible for bringing the staples we know and love today to America — french fries, ice cream, and macaroni pie, now known as Macaroni & cheese.
To learn more about Chef Hemings and his contributions to American cuisine, don’t miss the documentary screening of “James Hemings: Ghost in America’s Kitchen,” part of 11th Annual African American Film Series.
Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 5:30 p.m.
Flint Institute of Arts
1120 E. Kearsley St.
Flint MI 48503
For more information and to register, visit https://communitiesfirstinc.org/event/african-american-film-series-flint-4/