V. Sheree Williams didn't set out to build a legacy — she set out to tell stories. But over a decade of centering Black chefs, food culture, and the African diaspora through Cuisine Noir, that's exactly what she's done.

In this conversation, Sheree takes us inside the origin of Cuisine Noir — from Chef Richard Pannell's 1998 vision to the digital reimagining she launched on September 1, 2009 of the first media outlet in the U.S. to pioneer Black food media — at a time when Black food stories were essentially nonexistent in mainstream media. She gets real about advertising dollars, the difference between preserving and amplifying, and why she founded the Global Food and Drink Initiative to carry the work even further.

This is a conversation about legacy, integrity, and what it means to stay true to your mission.