NEW YORK (AP) – If anyone asks chef Marcus Samuelsson what African food tastes like, he has a ready answer: Have you ever had barbecue? Rice? Collard greens? Okra? Coffee?

“All of that food comes from Africa, has its roots in Africa,” the writer and restaurateur said. “Everyone has had African American dishes, whether they know it or not.”

Samuelsson hopes to educate Americans and champion Black chefs in “The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food” from Little, Brown and Co.’s Voracious imprint.

The book has 150 recipes inspired by Black chefs, writers and activists, and it includes profiles of 26. The recipes celebrate the legacy of Africa, the influence of migration and integration, and where cutting-edge Black chefs are going next.

“When I look at American food and I look at the Black experience, we’ve done so much but almost got erased,” said Samuelsson, the chef at Harlem’s famed Red Rooster. “There’s never been a better time to tell those stories.”

The book is a rich mix of stories and food, from citrus scallops with hibiscus tea to oxtail pepperpot with dumplings.

Samuelsson noted that many cookbooks celebrate European and Asian foods but hardly bring up Black dishes, meaning we know more about ricotta than ayib, the fresh cheese of Ethiopia.

“This is America’s past. … This is America’s food,” he said.