Adrian Lipscombe

Adrian Lipscombe is a chef, cultural advocate, urban planner, and civic activist. Lipscombe began her career in city planning after graduating from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a master's in architecture, working with municipal governments in Austin and San Antonio on community impact project planning. As a fourth-generation pitmaster, Lipscombe draws on a multigenerational connection to food and land that informs her work. She is pursuing a doctorate in community and regional planning at the University of Texas at Austin, specializing in how minorities experience and navigate transportation systems.

Lipscombe moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin and opened Uptowne Café, establishing a gathering place for the Northside community while exploring the intersection of her Southern upbringing, Midwest ingredients, and African American culinary history. Her cuisine focuses on Southern food traditions, utilizing local ingredients and collaborating with regional farmers. Lipscombe has cooked at the James Beard House on multiple occasions.

Lipscombe is the founder of the 40 Acres Project, which aims to preserve the legacy of Black agriculture and foodways by acquiring land for Black farmers, providing resources for the food industry, creating educational opportunities, and maintaining a historical archive on traditional Black agriculture and foodways. The 40 Acres Project has received recognition from the USDA and the White House. Lipscombe also serves as a culinary diplomat to the White House and State Department, and maintains a partnership with the James Beard Foundation and the U.S. State Department.

As a founding member of the Muloma Heritage Center in South Carolina, Lipscombe contributes to the exploration of African Atlantic influences in American culture and their impact on American cuisines. She serves on the board of the Edna Lewis Foundation, supporting the preservation of culinary heritage. Lipscombe is active in national discussions on food equity and sustainability, frequently speaking at conferences and collaborating with chefs, activists, and policymakers. Her work bridges culinary arts, history, and policy, with a focus on Black and Indigenous foodways and food justice.