Discovery+’s new series Hungry For Answers will uncover the untold stories behind Black American cuisine and spirits. Caroline Randall Williams, a renowned scholar, restaurateur and cookbook author, hosts the four-part series, traveling across the country to find the origins stories of American staples like Nashville Hot Chicken and Tennessee Whiskey.
Oscar and Emmy-winning actress Viola Davis and her husband, Julius Tennon, have signed on as executive producers through their production company, JuVee Productions.
“All of the greatest moments of vulnerability, conversations and discourse about social, political, lifestyle issues have taken place in our kitchen. The joy of food is like home. When many people are sharing together, it is the most powerful tool for connection,” Davis said in a statement. “I met Caroline Randall Williams on the set of The Help in 2010 and knew she was special. Not only as a cook but as a journalist and critical thinker. She pitched Julius and I her idea of this revelatory cooking show. We are both thrilled to invite her into the JuVee family.”
In the first episode, Williams sets out to answer the question, “Who gets to cook Black food?” The inquiry sets the host on a journey to delve into the history of Nashville Hot Chicken. Additional episodes will also explore the true origin of Jack Daniel’s Whiskey, highlighting Nathan “Nearest” Green, an enslaved person and first known African-American master distiller who taught Jack Daniel how to distill Tennessee Whiskey.
All four episodes of Hungry For Answers will be available on Discovery+ on June 8.