While In France, Thomas Jefferson developed a love for Macaroni Pie. He tasked enslaved James Hemings, the half-brother of his wife Martha Jefferson, with mastering the dish. Hemings travelled to Paris with Jefferson in 1784 to train with French chefs. Over time, Hemings honed his French culinary skills, particularly exceled in cooking Macaroni Pie, the precursor to Mac and Cheese and induceing it to american at a state dinner in 1802