Join MOFAD for an enlightening and lively conversation with acclaimed food writers Anna Ansari and Polina Chesnakova as they explore the ways in which diasporic identity, memory, and migration shape modern cooking and kitchens.

Drawing on shared dishes like dumplings, kebab, chicken tabaka, scrambled eggs with tomato, kompot, and Salad Olivier, Polina and Anna will discuss how their culinary traditions have overlapped, diverged, and reinvented themselves across time and geography.

From immigrant kitchens brimming with both inherited recipes and distinctly American foods—think Capri Suns, hot dogs, Hamburger Helper and Shirley Temples—to questions of authenticity and nostalgia, the conversation will explore what these blended tables reveal about modern American food culture and writing. Together, Ansari and Chesnakova reflect on why these stories are especially compelling now, not just for them as food writers, but in the context of the cultural currents shaping the present moment.

Purchase Tickets Here

Kids & Families: Storytime and Creative Play

10 AM - 11:30 AM (no exhibition access)

MOFAD invites kids and families to explore food, creativity, and culture through play. Using provided materials, toys, and craft supplies, children will build their own “plates” filled with their favorite foods while reflecting on what food means to them and their families. Through guided prompts and storytelling, kids will be encouraged to share where their favorite foods come from, who cooks them, and when they are eaten. This activity introduces young participants to the idea that food carries stories, traditions, and memories, while keeping the experience playful, accessible, and age-appropriate for families.

Purchase Tickets for Morning Program

Young Adults & Teens: Zines, Games, and Food Stories

1 PM - 3 PM (ticket includes exhibition admission)

Teens and young adults will explore food, identity, and storytelling through zine-making and interactive games. Participants will create their own mini zines reflecting on food traditions, family recipes, and the ways food shows up in their lives and communities. Guided activities and prompts will encourage participants to share stories, reflect on cultural connections, and learn from one another in a collaborative environment. Games and group activities will support conversation and connection, making this session both creative and social.

Purchase Tickets for Afternoon Program

Adults Only: Drunk Trivia

6 PM - 9 PM (exhibition open from 6 to 7, trivia from 7 to 8:30)

The day concludes with an adults-only evening program centered on food, history, and friendly competition. Participate in a lively, team-based trivia game focused on food history, culture, and Black culinary traditions. Trivia will be alcohol-friendly, playful, and social, with prizes awarded to winning teams. Connect, learn, and celebrate Black foodways in a relaxed, festive atmosphere.

Purchase Tickets for Evening Program

Join culinary historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi for a special presentation inspired by her new book, The Epic History of Macaroni and Cheese. Through visuals and storytelling, Moyer-Nocchi will explore the long, surprising journey of a dish that has moved across centuries, continents, and social worlds—shaped by religious traditions, elite dining, migration, industrialization, and everyday home cooking.

From antiquity to fashionable eighteenth-century Europe to nineteenth- and twentieth-century America, Moyer-Nocchi traces how macaroni and cheese became both a symbol of refinement and a practical, sustaining meal. Along the way, she highlights the many hands involved in its making, including cooks whose knowledge and labor often went uncredited, as well as chefs, entrepreneurs, and home cooks who adapted the dish to new tastes and circumstances.

Purchase Tickets Here

This event is 21+

In collaboration with the 2026 Black Women in Comedy Laff Fest, the critically acclaimed Drunk Black History show returns to the Museum of Food and Drink to highlight unsung Black pioneers in the culinary and hospitality industries! This isn’t your typical history lesson. Expect laughs, unexpected twists, and fascinating facts about how Black culture has shaped what we eat and drink today.

Purchase Tickets Here