At the Museum of Food and Drink, culinary historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi delivered a compelling presentation on the history of macaroni and cheese. (I had initially mixed up the date with Anna Cobb’s introduction of O’KRA, her okra fruit–infused health water—but both programs were equally memorable.)

Moyer-Nocchi traced macaroni and cheese from its early status as a dish of refinement to its evolution into a practical, widely accessible comfort food. Importantly, she highlighted the often-overlooked contributions of generations of cooks—especially African American women chefs—whose skill and labor shaped the dish into what we recognize today.

It was an insightful exploration of how a single recipe can reflect shifts in class, culture, and American culinary identity. I look forward to attending more events at MOFAD and continuing to learn from these thoughtful conversations about our shared food history.

The presentation highlighted historically the evolution of Macaroni and cheese from a symbol of refinement to a practical meal, acknowledging the contributions of various cooks an African American women chefs.

And then, fittingly, we tasted it.

At the end of the program, small servings of macaroni and cheese were offered by Chef Denzel Washington — warm, creamy, quietly elegant in their simplicity — accompanied by sips of prosecco. The bubbles cut through the richness, lifting the dish in a way that echoed its history: once refined, later humble, always adaptable.

It was a thoughtful closing gesture — not just hearing the history, but tasting it. A reminder that food scholarship, like cooking itself, lives most fully when it moves from lecture to table.