MasterClass

MASTERCLASS

Creative Direction
Art Direction
Design
Storyboard

MASTERCLASS

Creative Direction
Art Direction, Design, Storyboard

This graphic package was designed for Michael W. Twitty’s Masterclass course introducing his book, “The Cooking Gene.” As a distinguished culinary historian, Twitty delves into the interplay of race, Southern cuisine, and family history in his insightful book.

In this class, Twitty emphasizes the importance of preserving and promoting family food history and why everyone should share their food stories to understand our roots and heritage.

He traces his ancestry, both black and white, through the lens of food—from Africa to America, slavery to freedom.

Twitty delves into the contentious issue of ownership of Southern food, taking readers on a journey through his family’s roots and the charged politics surrounding soul food, barbecue, and Southern cuisine.

Using stories, recipes, genetic tests, and historical documents, he navigates from colonial farms to plantation kitchens, offering a unique perspective on survival through the foods of his ancestors.

Twitty suggests that understanding and healing can emerge by confronting the discomfort of the Southern past, emphasizing the power of food to bring together the kin of the enslaved and their former slaveholders at the table.

THE INGREDIENTS

To visually capture the essence of Michael Twitty’s MasterClass on African American Cuisine, we designed a compelling graphic identity using five key concepts, known as ‘The Ingredients’:

Textures
Organic elements such as wood, soil, seeds, leaves, and the texture of book and news pages. These represent the rich history explored in Twitty’s book, ‘The Cooking Gene.’

African Patterns
Drawing inspiration from Mende and Kente patterns, these intricate designs symbolize the cultural heritage woven into the fabric of African American cuisine.

Historical Illustrations
Evoking the white perspective on black culture throughout history, these illustrations confront miscegenation and biases in historical narratives.

Archival Images
Integrating real images adds authenticity, connecting the past with the present and highlighting the lived experiences shaping African American culinary traditions.

Sankofa
A powerful concept and symbol in Twi culture, Sankofa embodies learning from the past to shape the future. It features a bird facing forward with its head turned backward, emphasizing the importance of remembering one’s roots.

Connectivity
Expressing the vital theme of connection, this element visually reinforces the interconnectedness of food, history, and personal narratives.

Through this thoughtfully crafted graphic identity, ‘The Ingredients’ visually encapsulate the depth and significance of Michael Twitty’s MasterClass, inviting viewers to explore the diverse layers of African American culinary history.