I am here to tell you, some of my favorite moments have not happened in my own kitchen at all. They have happened in church fellowship halls, library meeting rooms, and beautifully lit private dining rooms, standing in front of a room full of strangers who leave feeling like family. There is something about pouring a glass of wine into someone's hand and watching their shoulders drop, their guard come down, and their story come out. That is the whole point of the Soul of Food and Wine. It was never meant to stay on the page.

I host wine tastings that make even the most intimidated newcomer feel like they belong at the table. I speak to audiences about food, wine, faith, family, and the courage it takes to come home to yourself. And I create private dining and cooking experiences for the folks who want the full DeeDee treatment, my recipes, my wine pairings, and my stories, served up right in their own home or venue. Pull up a chair. Let's see what we can cook up together.

Three Ways to Sit With Me

🍷

Wine Tastings

Guided tastings that make wine feel approachable, never intimidating. I bring the bottles, the stories, and the sensory language to help your guests find what they truly love, one glass at a time.

🎤

Speaking Engagements

From book clubs to corporate luncheons to women's ministry gatherings, I speak on food, wine, hospitality, and the journey from Momma's kitchen to building a brand of your own.

🍳

Private Dining & Cooking Events

An intimate, hands-on experience in your home or venue. I bring the menu, the wine pairings, and the storytelling for a dinner your guests will be talking about long after the last bite.

Upcoming Events

✦ ✦ ✦
Just Announced · Fall 2026

The Soul of Food and Wine Book Signing Tour

Pull up a chair, my friends. We are taking this celebration on the road!

I am here to tell you, my heart is full. This book started in Momma Nancy's kitchen in Montgomery, and this fall it is traveling to three wonderful Alabama libraries. Come hear the stories behind the recipes, ask me anything, and take home a signed copy for yourself and one for the person who taught you how to cook.

Author DeeDee Johnson smiling in a portrait headshot My Home City
📅 Monday, November 9, 2026

An Evening in My Home City at the Alabaster Library

📍Alabaster Library, 100 9th St NW, Alabaster, AL 35007 🕑6:00 PM to 7:00 PM

Alabaster, this one is personal! For the last 10 years, this city has been the place our family calls home, and I cannot think of a better way to spend a Monday evening than with my neighbors at our own library. Come unwind after work while I share stories from Momma Nancy's kitchen, read a favorite passage from The Soul of Food and Wine, and answer your questions about pairing wine with the Southern food you already love. Light refreshments will be served, signed copies will be available for purchase, and the whole evening is free and open to the community.

  • Free Event
  • Stories & Q&A
  • Light Refreshments
  • Signed Copies
The Soul of Food and Wine book cover featuring DeeDee Johnson Book Signing
📅 October 2026 · Date Coming Soon

The Soul of Food and Wine Comes to Chelsea

📍Chelsea Public Library, 16623 US Highway 280, Chelsea, AL 35043 🕑Time Announced Soon

Chelsea, I am coming your way! Join me for a warm, joyful gathering filled with storytelling, a reading straight from the pages of The Soul of Food and Wine, and a lively Q&A where nothing about food, wine, or Momma Nancy's kitchen is off the table. We will share a little taste of the South with light refreshments, and I will be signing copies for you, your mama, and that friend who always asks what she should bring to dinner.

  • Reading
  • Stories & Q&A
  • Light Refreshments
  • Signed Copies
Get the Date First Join my list and you will hear it before anyone else.
DeeDee Johnson smiling in a vineyard, holding a cluster of young grapes on the vine Save the Date
📅 Saturday, November 7, 2026

A Saturday Morning Celebration in Center Point

📍Center Point Public Library, 533 Sunhill Road, Center Point, AL 35215 🕑11:00 AM to 12:00 PM

Grab your coffee and start your Saturday with me! I am bringing the stories, the recipes, and a whole lot of Southern love to Center Point. I will read a favorite passage, share the journey from Momma's kitchen to Napa, New Orleans, and Jamaica, and answer every question you have about pairing wine with the food you already love. Light refreshments will be served, and signed copies will be available right there on-site, just in time for holiday gifting.

  • Reading
  • Stories & Q&A
  • Light Refreshments
  • Signed Copies

Bring a friend, bring your book club, and bring your appetite for a good story. I cannot wait to see your beautiful faces!

What Guests Are Saying

"DeeDee did not just teach us about wine, she made us feel like we had known her our whole lives. By the second glass, the whole room was talking like old friends."
— Tasting Guest, Montgomery, AL