Adrian Miller wrote Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time.
Published in 2013, the book combines culinary history, travel writing, and recipe research. Miller examines the people, places, and traditions that shaped African American cooking, including enslaved cooks, church gatherings, restaurants, and regional foodways.
Miller’s research emphasizes that soul food is not a single fixed menu. Dishes vary across the American South and among Black communities elsewhere, reflecting local agriculture, migration, religious practice, and family tradition.
The title is sometimes confused with general books about Southern cooking. Miller’s work is specifically centered on the history and cultural meaning of African American cuisine. He later wrote Black Smoke, a book focused on Black barbecue traditions.