Bryant Terry is a multidisciplinaryartist, publisher, and author. He draws inspiration from his ancestors, motivating us to strive for a more healthful, just, and sustainable world.

San Francisco Magazine included Terry among 11 Smartest People in the Bay Area Food Scene, and Fast Company named him one of 9 People Who Are Changing the Future of Food. In regard to his food justice activism, Terry’s mentor Alice Waters says, “Bryant Terry knows that good food should be an everyday right and not a privilege.” From 2015 to 2022, Terry served as the inaugural Chef-in-Residence at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco. In this role, he curated public programming at the intersection of food, farming, health, activism, art, and culture.

As the founder and editor-in-chief of 4 Color Books, an imprint of Ten Speed Press and Penguin Random House, Terry collaborates with visionary chefs, writers, artists, activists, and innovators of color to create visually stunning nonfiction books. Additionally, he is the co-principal and innovation director of Zenmi, a values-driven creative studio that he established.

Terry's accomplishments extend to his career as an author, where he has written six highly acclaimed books. He has received recognition for his exceptional work, including a James Beard Award, an NAACP Image Award, and an Art of Eating Prize. His latest book, titled Black Food, received widespread praise and was hailed as the most critically acclaimed American cookbook of 2021. It secured spots on numerous esteemed lists, such as those by The New Yorker, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, The Washington Post, NPR, Los Angeles Times, Food52, and Glamour. Black Food was honored with the prestigious Art of Eating Prize, awarded to the best book about food each year.

Another notable work by Terry is Vegetable Kingdom published in February 2020 amid a pandemic. It achieved both commercial success and critical acclaim, winning an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work and receiving a James Beard Award nomination. Vegetable Kingdom was also recognized as one of the best cookbooks of the year by publications such as The New Yorker, Vogue, and Food & Wine. Terry's book, Afro-Vegan, was honored as one of the best vegetarian cookbooks of all time by Bon Appétit. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine, which Cooking Light Magazine included in their list of the best vegetarian/vegan cookbooks of the last 25 years.

In 2023, Terry teamed up with artist Joshua Gabriel to form the band Saint State Street. Through their music, they weave a tapestry of influences, seamlessly blending soul-stirring spirituals, opera, traditional blues, post-bop jazz, 90s hip hop, trap, acoustic, and electronic elements. Their compositions are captivating and delve deep into the human experience, exploring themes of history, memory, family, resilience, and personal growth.

Terry is a sought-after speaker and is exclusively represented by the Lavin Agency. He frequently presents keynote speeches at community events, conferences, and renowned universities such as Brown, Columbia, NYU, Smith, Stanford, and Yale. Terry is currently pursuing a degree in the MFA Program in Art Practice at UC Berkeley. He obtained his culinary education from the Chef's Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in New York City. Additionally, Terry holds an MA in History with a focus on the African Diaspora from NYU, where he studied under Robin D.G. Kelly during his time as a Ph.D. student. He resides and works in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and their two daughters.