Tasting the Schomburg: An Evening with Carla Hall & Alexander Smalls

Join us at the Schomburg Center for an unforgettable evening with acclaimed chefs Carla Hall and Alexander Smalls as they return to the place that inspired their latest culinary explorations. Both chefs spent time researching in the Schomburg’s vast collections—studying rare cookbooks, historic menus, and Arturo Schomburg’s unfinished gastronomica, a remarkable project that blends memoir and food encyclopedia. Together, they will share their discoveries, stories, and reflections on Black foodways, revealing how history, culture, and storytelling come alive through cooking and cuisine. Following the conversation, guests will enjoy tastings and light bites inspired by the chefs’ research—a flavorful journey shaped by the global Black diaspora.

Together, we tackle the ultimate question: What’s the best way to eat grits—sweet or savory? Come savor the history, flavors, and joy of storytelling through food as two friends invite you into their conversation.

Tasting the Schomburg Collections

Tasting the Schomburg Collections invites guests to explore how food practices, from preparation to consumption to their cultural significance, are represented within the holdings of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The series is crafted around rare early 20th‑century manuscripts, cookbooks from across the global Black diaspora, historic menus, and Arturo Schomburg’s unfinished gastronomica—a project from around 1930 that was part memoir, part food encyclopedia. Each event features food and intimate conversations with invited chefs—including Carla Hall, Alexander Smalls, and Rōze Traore—who expand our knowledge of Black foodways.

CHEF CARLA HALL

Chef, best-selling author and television personality Carla Hall has been entertaining audiences with her enthusiasm for life and warm personality for years. She has starred on Food Network shows such as “BakeAway Camp,” “Halloween Baking Championship,” “Holiday Baking Championship” and “Worst Cooks in America.” She also hosted the Emmy-nominated “Chasing Flavor with Carla Hall” (HBO Max) and serves as a judge on “Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking” (HBO Max). She first won over audiences when she competed on Bravo’s “Top Chef” and hosted ABC’s “The Chew” for 7 years. Her product line, Sweet Heritage by Carla Hall (available through QVC), is designed to bring you kitchen items that are useful, reliable, and complete with a dash of joy and soul. Carla’s latest cookbook, Carla Hall’s Soul Food: Everyday and Celebration, was published in 2018, landing on annual "Best Cookbook" lists across the country and receiving an NAACP Image Awards nomination. Her second children’s book, Carla and the Tin Can Cake Party was just published on October 14th.

CHEF ALEXANDER SMALLS

Alexander Smalls is a James Beard Award winning chef, author and restaurateur. He has owned five critically acclaimed restaurants including co-owner of The Cecil, voted best new restaurant in America by Esquire Magazine, and Minton’s Playhouse, birthplace of Bebop. Smalls restaurant Cafe Beulah, was one of the first contemporary “fine dining restaurants” celebrating African American food in the country. Smalls founded and co-owns Alkebulan, the first African Dining Hall in the World showcasing the food and culture of Africa, opened four years ago for Expo 2020 in Dubai. Alexander was featured in season two of the acclaimed Netflix documentary “High on The Hog.” Smalls is also a renowned opera singer and the winner of both a Grammy and Tony Award for the Houston Grand Opera, RCA Recording of Porgy & Bess. A culinary activist and public speaker, the author of five books include Meals, Music & Muses, Between Harlem & Heaven, Grace the Table, The Contemporary African Kitchen and his new children’s book When Alexander Graced the Table. Alexander received a doctorate degree from his Alma mater Wofford College in 2023. He presently resides in Harlem, New York City.

Photo: Carla Hall (right) and Alexander Smalls (left) visit the archives at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. Carla is pictured in the Photographs and Prints Division and Alexeander is in the Jean Blackwell Hutson Research and Reference Division. Photo credit Khalilah Bates.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Accessibility requests can be made by e-mail [email protected].

This year, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding! Join us all year long for a wide array of special events, exhibitions, and more as we celebrate this milestone and continue the legacy of Arturo Schomburg.

Schomburg100 | Exhibition | Special-Edition Library Card | Become a Member

#SchomburgLive

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FIRST COME, FIRST SEATED Events are free and open to all, but due to space constraints registration is requested. Registered guests are given priority check-in 15 to 30 minutes before start time. After the event starts all registered seats are released regardless of registration, so we recommend that you arrive early. We generally overbook to ensure a full house.

GUESTS Please note that holding seats in the Langston Hughes Auditorium is strictly prohibited and there is no food or drinks allowed anywhere in the Schomburg Center.

ACCESSIBLILITY Accessibility requests can be made by e-mail [email protected].

E-TRANSPORTATION NYPL policy prohibits electric transportation devices (e.g., motorbikes, e-bikes, e-scooters, e-skateboards) from being brought into or stored at library sites for any length of time, as this is the best way to keep our spaces & people safe.

AUDIO/VIDEO RECORDING Programs are photographed and recorded by the Schomburg Center. Attending this event indicates your consent to being filmed/photographed and your consent to the use of your recorded image for any all purposes of the New York Public Library.

PRESS Please send all press inquiries (photo, video, interviews, audio-recording, etc) at least 24-hours before the day of the program to Leah Drayton at [email protected].

Please note that personal and professional video recordings are prohibited without expressed consent.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, United States

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