Tamarra Thomas

Tamarra Thomas is an adjunct professor at New York University, The New School, and New York City College of Technology, specializing in Food Studies. Her expertise spans food systems, social justice, and urban agriculture. She holds an MA from NYU and a BS from The New School in Food Studies.

• Education:
• MA in Food Studies, New York University
• BS in Food Studies, The New School

Her research focuses on demographic identity and foodways, urban inequalities, and food heritage. She co-authored a national study on urban agriculture with the USDA and explored the Latchkey Kids phenomenon in the 1980s/90s. She designed Harlem Grown’s Mobile Teaching Kitchen, linking recipes to cultural history. As a pastry chef and entrepreneur, she led kitchens for hotels and award-winning restaurants and owned Mama Cocoa’s Delights, a Senate-approved chocolate vendor.

Her awards include Food Network’s Sweet Genius (2013) and recognition from the Maryland General Assembly. She has been featured in USA Today, Washington Post, and major networks like NBC, ABC, and CBS.