Plot Synopsis

Executive produced by Viola Davis, HUNGRY FOR ANSWERS is a four-episode docuseries that follows restaurateur and cookbook author Caroline Randall Williams, as she travels across the United States to uncover essential and often untold Black stories behind some of America's classic and emblematic food and spirits. From the spicy, crisp flavors of Nashville Hot Chicken to the warm, dulcet taste of Tennessee Whiskey, Williams is out to uncover the origin stories of these quintessential American offerings, as well as surface the truth when it comes to the equity, or in most cases inequity, regarding the recognition and reward, and lack thereof, for the true founding contributors throughout history. Hungry for Answers is a food show but it is not just a food show, it is a Black food show with an ambitious endeavor to serve up a healthy dose of history with each delicious bite and sip explored. In the first episode, Williams sets out to answer the question 'Who gets to cook Black food?' It's a complicated question that finds her delving into the rich history of Nashville, Tennessee's most famous dish, Hot Chicken. A visit with her mother and grandmother kicks off the conversation as her journey includes uncovering why this now famous dish, with origins traced back to one family, has seen its popularity explode but remains primarily profitable for White-owned hot chicken empires. In another episode, Williams explores the less than sweet history of sugar - from slavery, to convict leasing, to ultimately how it impacts the human body. She travels to Sugarland, Texas and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to dig into the truth and along the way makes some intriguing discoveries including finding a group of determined beekeepers on a mission to change the way their community thinks about sweet treats. Additional episodes explore the history of Jack Daniels Whiskey, spotlighting Nathan 'Nearest' Green, a slave and first known African-American master distiller who ultimately taught Jack Daniels how to distill Tennessee Whiskey thus setting the course for the Jack Daniels Whiskey empire, as well as the history of Black farmers in America and how systemic marginalization impacted the availability of quality foods, with Williams meeting some of the Black farmers making an impact in their community. All four episodes of HUNGRY FOR ANSWERS dropped on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 on discovery+.