Atlanta-based chef Todd Richards shares a taste of West African roots in North American cuisine

For Atlanta-based chef Todd Richards, soul food is a never-ending adventure, as much a personal one as it is an exploration of culinary history.

In 2018, his acclaimed cookbook “Soul” invited readers and home cooks to taste the traditions, as well as the present and future of soul food, with lively recipes inspired by Richards’ own favorite dishes and techniques.

Now, the chef puts on his food historian hat with a new collection of recipes, stories, and investigations into the West African roots that appear in cuisines all over North America.

“Roots, Heart, Soul: The Story, Celebration and Recipes of Afro Cuisine in America” is out now and has already been lauded as one of the Best New Cookbooks of 2024, according to Parade Magazine. In this interview, Richards joined “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes to share more.