Marcus Samuelsson – Back to Green
Marcus Samuelsson appears at the Miracle Theatre in conversation with special moderator Laura Coates about *Back to Green*, his cookbook centered on nourishing, plant-forward ingredients and the histories connected to them. Drawing on foods from the Caribbean, the Americas, the Pacific, Asia, and Africa, the book explores ancestry, migration, sustainability, ritual, healing, resilience, and the role of food in building healthy communities. Every ticket includes a copy of *Back to Green*.
The conversation features Samuelsson, the internationally recognized chef, restaurateur, author, television personality, and eight-time James Beard Award winner, alongside Laura Coates, CNN’s chief legal analyst and anchor of *Laura Coates Live*. Coates is also an Emmy-nominated broadcaster, former federal prosecutor, and author.
When: October 21, 2026
Doors: 6:00 PM
Showtime: 7:00 PM
Ages: All ages
Venue: The Miracle Theatre, 535 8th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003
Tickets: Price not available
Ticket inclusion: Every ticket includes a copy of *Back to Green*.
Book focus: Samuelsson discusses his shift toward cooking with nourishing, “of-the-earth” ingredients such as coconut, rice, corn, acai, plantains, teff, and chilies. The cookbook connects these ingredients to stories of migration and ancestry, and draws on knowledge from chefs and farmers across multiple regions of the world.
Featured recipes: The vegetable-forward cookbook includes a papaya passion fruit smoothie; steamed black cod with spicy pineapple salsa; an eggplant omelet with banana ketchup; a rice noodle bowl with ginger and garlic broth; lentil salad with coconut turmeric vinaigrette; and vegetarian injera lasagna.
Marcus Samuelsson: Samuelsson’s restaurant portfolio includes Red Rooster Harlem and more than a dozen other establishments worldwide. He is an Emmy Award-winning producer and best-selling author with regular television appearances on programs including *Chopped* and *Top Chef*. His work also extends into fashion and lifestyle design, including a West Elm home collection. He co-chairs the Culinary Careers Program and serves as a Frontline Advisor for World Central Kitchen, supporting culinary education and food security. He lives in New York City with his family.
Laura Coates: Coates anchors CNN’s *Laura Coates Live* and contributes to the network’s legal coverage and major news programming. Her previous work includes hosting on SiriusXM and serving as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice and as an assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia. She has written *You Have the Right: A Constitutional Guide to Policing the Police* and the New York Times bestseller *Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness*. She lives in Washington, DC, with her family.