Author Adrian Miller, panels to explore New South food

History, politics and social traditions can influence what people eat. Foodies, farmers, educators and advocates will explore “farm to table” and sustainability questions during the community discussion “Soul Food: A Contemporary and Historical Exploration of New South Food” on Thursday, Oct. 2, at UNC Charlotte Center City.

The day opens with back-to-back panel discussions at 9:30 and 11 a.m. and culminates with a 6 p.m. talk by James Beard Award-winner Adrian Miller, author of “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time.” A reception and a book signing will follow Miller’s talk.

The 9:30 a.m. discussion “Rethinking Our Relationship to the Land” will focus primarily on the sustainable food production system known as aquaponics and its impact on the environment, as well as approaches to educate people about sustainability. Panelists will include architect Ron Morgan, aquaponics farmer Sam Fleming and UNC Charlotte anthropology assistant professor Nicole Peterson, a leader in the NSF-funded Integrated Network for Social Sustainability initiative based at UNC Charlotte.

At 11 a.m., the panel “Can We All Get What We Need from Here?” will focus on the challenges of growing and distributing food locally and on issues such as “food deserts” and franchise food operations. Members of the Piedmont Culinary Guild will lead the panel. The guild seeks to create a community that connects chefs to chefs, chefs to farmers and chefs to resources. The goal is to strengthen the local chefs’ community and build momentum for Charlotte as a food community. Ashli Stokes, a UNC Charlotte communication studies professor, will moderate the panel.

The final event of the day will feature Miller, whose book won the prestigious James Beard Award for a scholarly reference book in 2014. An attorney and former presidential advisor, Miller will talk about the varied cuisines brought together by Africans, Europeans and Native Americans to create a new and distinctively American cuisine. He also will talk about how society can deal with food challenges and what must happen to meet consumer expectations in the future.

There is no charge for the sessions, but reservations are required via email to Jeffrey Leak, director of the Center for the Study of the New South (jleak@uncc.edu). Attendees must indicate sessions they plan to attend. Complimentary parking will be provided in the 9th and Brevard streets lots across from UNC Charlotte Center City. Upon registration, guests will receive a parking pass for event by email.

This is the fourth and final event in the yearlong “Soul Food” series presented by UNC Charlotte’s Center for the Study of the New South, which is part of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. Cosponsors are Chartwells, the Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund and the University’s American Studies Program.