UC Berkeley Art Practice
Department of Art Practice at UC Berkeley

Bryant Terry MFA 25

Photo of Bryant Terry

Bryant Terry MFA ‘25

Email: bryant-terry@berkeley.edu
Website:  https://www.bryant-terry.com

Bryant Terry is a multidisciplinary artist defined by the fluidity with which his practices move between cooking, writing, publishing, curation, music, design, food justice activism,  sculpture, and social practice. 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. 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.

Infinite Garden
Acrylic on canvas
48" x 48" 
2008

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.

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.

Terry frequently presents keynote speeches at community events, conferences, and renowned universities such as Brown, Columbia, NYU, Smith, Stanford, and Yale. He 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.