Public | Jul, 23 2026 6:30PM - 8:30PM
Guests joined us on Thursday, July 23, for a conversation with two-time James Beard Award-winning culinary author and certified barbecue judge Adrian Miller. Texas Monthly Barbecue Editor Daniel Vaughn moderated the conversation. As part of the evening, we honored the legacy of the late Walter Jetton, President Johnson's pitmaster of choice and 2025 inductee into the American Royal Barbecue Hall of Fame.
About the speakers
Adrian Miller is a two-time James Beard Award-winning culinary author, certified barbecue judge, and recovering attorney. As a Certified Speaking Professional, the highest earned designation from the National Speakers Association, he is recognized for sustained excellence, professionalism, and impact on the speaking stage. A graduate of Stanford University and Georgetown University Law Center, Adrian began his career in public service. From 1999 to 2001, he served as a special assistant to President Bill Clinton with the Initiative for One America – the first free-standing office in the White House to address issues of racial, religious and ethnic reconciliation. He later worked as a senior policy analyst for Colorado Governor Bill Ritter Jr.
Adrian has authored four acclaimed books examining soul food, barbecue history, and the stories of chefs who shaped presidential cuisine. His work has earned two James Beard Awards and numerous national honors. His most recent book, Cooking to the President’s Taste, published by the White House Historical Association in 2025, expands his scholarship into Asian heritage chefs in White House history.
Daniel Vaughn is the author of The Prophets of Smoked Meat: A Journey Through Texas Barbecue, the coauthor of Whole Hog BBQ: The Gospel of Carolina Barbecue, and the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly. He has traveled the world sampling smoked meats at over 1,800 barbecue joints, most of which are in Texas.
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