Exhibit
Cook’s Room
Enslaved chef Peter Hemings lived in this quarter for some time before another enslaved chef, Edith Fossett and her family, moved in.
Culinary Diplomacy
Celebrity chefs, culinary experts, and historians delve into how food has been—and continues to be—a bridge for better cultural understanding and communication.
In partnership with The Culinary Diplomacy Project, this program series explores the intersection of history, food, and diplomacy. Meet renowned chefs as they reinterpret Jefferson-era recipes and share their global culinary experiences. Engage with some of today’s brightest culinary minds and learn how food can spark civic conversations, helping us strive toward the ideals of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Upcoming events in this series
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![Headshot of Cristeta Comerford]()
Culinary Diplomacy Project with Former White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford
Drawing on her tenure as chef for five U.S. presidents and the diplomatic spirit that defined both her work and Jefferson’s, Chef Comerford will present a culinary reimagining of a Jefferson-era state dinner.
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![Celebrity chef Aarti Sequiera in a bright yellow, pink, and orange dress stands smiling next to kitchen counter while chopping yellow and red peppers.]()
On the Menu: Dinner with Chef Aarti Sequeira at Montalto
Thomas Jefferson knew that food has the power to bring people together. With fine cuisine and wine, meaningful conversations flow, creating the perfect environment for cultural diplomacy. By hosting diverse guests around his dinner table, Jefferson championed the exchange of ideas.Past Event -
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Culinary Conversations
Thomas Jefferson knew that food has the power to bring people together. With fine cuisine, meaningful conversations flow, creating the perfect environment for cultural diplomacy.Past Event
More about America's Founding Foodie
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![Shelves with copper pans and cooking utensils like the walls of Monticello's restored kitchen, which features a brick floor, a large hearth, a large preparation table, and a row of stew stoves along the left wall.]()
Exhibit1809 Kitchen
Monticello’s later kitchen incorporated all the newest and best cooking technologies available at the time.
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![An overhead image of a table set with four dishes - a quiche, a bowl of dark red soup, a salad with beef, and a crudité plate - and two glasses of wine.]()
ItineraryThe Foodie
Taste Jefferson’s world—discover the crops he cultivated, learn about 18th-century foodways, and enjoy local flavors inspired by the plantation’s history.
