John T. Edge on House of Smoke, Southern Identity, and the Stories We Inherit

James Lewis sits down with author, food writer, and TrueSouth host John T. Edge to discuss his memoir House of Smoke: A Southerner Goes Searching for Home. The conversation explores inherited identity, childhood trauma, Southern culture, accountability, unintended consequences, and the stories we unconsciously carry forward. Best known for his work with the Southern Foodways Alliance and the Emmy Award winning series TrueSouth, John T. reflects on family, purpose, leadership, and what it means to confront the truths that shape us. This is a conversation about more than food. It is a conversation about identity, memory, and what to carry forward from our past. Watch. Read. Listen. Companion essay: "The Story We Inherit" https://www.retiresouthern.com/lifestyle/the-story-we-inherit