Fresh and fast-paced, Searching for Soul Food is a love letter to the titular cuisine. Known as one of America’s cuisines, soul food has been brought and developed around the world as a means for their own survival and the preservation of their cultures. Chef Alisa Reynolds enthusiastically introduces the viewers to the cuisine, digging deep (sometimes literally) into its roots and the resulting dishes. While the show sometimes gives speedy infodumps about the food, Reynolds infuses some sense of warmth and liveliness that makes the facts highly engaging. It’s clear that Reynolds and the team serve each episode with sincere love and respect for the cultures presented here.

There are many great shows about black cuisine, but Searching for Soul Food stands out with its approach to how it presents information. Clearly well-researched, the show’s knowledge is so intensive that the amount of data presented could have been easily overwhelming. However, Reynolds and her team make soul food history more digestible through structured editing and Reynolds’ engaging narration. The pacing improves after the first episode, as the show connects each culture not just through commonalities between their oppression, but also through their shared history of survival. Excellent structuring, and Reynolds’ dynamic with each farmer, chef, and family, make the show a lovely watch.