Jump to content

Kwame Onwuachi

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kwame Onwuachi
Born (1989-11-11) November 11, 1989 (age 35)
Long Island, New York
EducationThe Culinary Institute of America
Culinary career
Previous restaurant(s)
  • Shaw Bijou, Philly Wing Fry, Kith and Kin, Tatiana
Television show(s)
Award(s) won
Websitekwameonwuachi.com

Kwame Onwuachi (/ˈkwɑːmi ənˈwɑːtʃi/; born November 11, 1989)[1] is an American chef. He was a contestant on Top Chef (season 13) in 2015.

He has opened several restaurants including Shaw Bijou, Kith and Kin, and Tatiana. In 2019, the James Beard Foundation named him "Rising Star Chef of the year."

Early life and education

[edit]

Born on Long Island in New York, Onwuachi spent most of his childhood growing up in The Bronx.[2] At the age of 10, his mother sent him to live with his grandfather in Nigeria for two years so that he could "learn respect."[3][4][5][6]

Onwuachi was expelled from several schools for behavioral issues and eventually graduated from Bronx Leadership Academy, a public charter high school in the city.[3] After graduation, he attended the University of Bridgeport but was expelled for dealing drugs.[5]

Career

[edit]

Early career

[edit]

After his expulsion, Onwuachi moved in 2010 to live with his mother in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he was hired to cook on a boat serving crews cleaning up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.[3][7][8] Reintroduced to cooking, he returned to New York City that November, waiting tables at Tom Colicchio's Craft before opening a catering service.[3] In 2012, he enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.[3] During culinary school, Onwuachi worked an externship at Per Se.[3] After graduating with an Associate's Degree in Culinary Arts, he worked as a line cook at Eleven Madison Park.[2][3]

Restaurant career

[edit]

In 2015, Onwuachi was a contestant on Bravo's culinary TV show, Top Chef: California placing sixth.[9][7][10]

In November 2016, he opened a restaurant in a converted townhouse in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C., called Shaw Bijou.[3] The reviews were mixed, and critics questioned whether it was worth the price.[11] After two months, Onwuachi scaled back the menu and reduced prices to better align with customer desires, but it was closed by the primary investor in January 2017.[3][11]

In late 2017, he opened "Kith and Kin", serving Afro-Caribbean cuisine influenced by his family ties to Louisiana, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Nigeria. The restaurant was reviewed by The Washington Post and the Michelin Guide.[12][13] In July 2020, Onwuachi resigned his position at Kith and Kin to pursue opening his own restaurant.[14]

In November 2022, Onwuachi opened Tatiana in NYC's Lincoln Center.[15] The restaurant offers a fusion between flavors of the Caribbean, Africa, and the American South.[6] Within its first 6 months, Tatiana was reviewed by outlets including The New York Times, Eater, and Food & Wine Magazine.[15][16]

Publication career

[edit]

In 2019, Onwuachi and Joshua David Stein co-published Onwuachi's first book, Notes from a Young Black Chef.[17][5] The memoir details his tumultuous journey from joining a local gang as a teen to climbing to the top of the fine-dining world.[8][5]

In May 2022, Onwauchi and Stein published a follow-up book titled, My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef in cookbook format.[18][18]

Recognition

[edit]

In 2019, the James Beard Foundation named Onwuachi their "Rising Star Chef of the Year."[19][20] Esquire named him its Chef of the Year for 2019, identifying Kith and Kin as one of the Best New Restaurants in America.[21]

In 2021, Onwuachi returned to the Top Chef Kitchen, this time as a guest judge for Season 18.[10] In 2024 he was featured in an episode of Chef's Table.[22]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Kwame Onwuachi". The Culinary Institute of America. July 27, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Gordon, Doug (2019-05-15). "Kwame Onwuachi Tells Story Of His Culinary Coming-Of-Age". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Krishna, Priya (April 16, 2019). "A Young Chef, and a Stunning Comeback". The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Eating Off Duty with Kwame Onwuachi". MICHELIN Guide. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  5. ^ a b c d Carman, Tim. "Review | Kwame Onwuachi's new memoir is a must-read on what it's like to be a young, black chef in America". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-04-14.
  6. ^ a b Fowler, Richard. "Storytelling On The Plate: Kwame Onwuachi's Afro-Caribbean Journey To Lincoln Center". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  7. ^ a b Carman, Tim (March 1, 2016). "Chef Kwame's ready to show D.C. a fine-dining experience unlike any other". The Washington Post.
  8. ^ a b Lulu Garcia-Navarro; Maria Godoy (April 7, 2019). "Chef's Memoir Tackles What It's Like To Be Young, Gifted And Black In Fine Dining". The Salt. NPR.
  9. ^ "Meet Top Chef Season 13's Cheftestants: Part 3". Top Chef. Bravo TV. 25 November 2015. Birthday: November 11, 1989
  10. ^ a b Mannering, Lindsay (2022-01-25). "Kwame Onwuachi Made It Far On 'Top Chef' Before His Career Sky-Rocketed". The Dipp. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  11. ^ a b Carman, Tim (January 15, 2017). "Shaw Bijou, one of D.C.'s most expensive restaurants, has closed after less than three months". The Washington Post.
  12. ^ Sietsema, Tom (October 17, 2018). "At Kith and Kin, chef Kwame Onwuachi tells his story — and hits his stride". The Washington Post.
  13. ^ "Kith/Kin". Michelin Guide. 2019. Set within the InterContinental at the Wharf, Kith/Kin boasts towering ceilings, floods of sunlight and fabulous water views. But it isn't just about good looks here—the kitchen offers a bevy of surprises via West African, Caribbean and Creole influences. Of course, Chef Kwame Onwuachi has trained at some of the country's top restaurants, so expect nothing but special flavors and precise techniques. Charcuterie turns tradition on its head with berbere chicharrónes and jerk duck prosciutto. Smoked redfish pâté and andouille sausage over toast is another highlight. For dessert, roasted, seedless (and heatless) habanada peppers are filled with its own mousse and served with elderflower granité, thereby proving that these unique dishes demand your attention.
  14. ^ Hiatt, Gabe (2020-07-06). "Chef Kwame Onwuachi Leaves Game-Changing Afro-Caribbean Restaurant Kith/Kin". Eater DC. Retrieved 2021-05-12.
  15. ^ a b "Kwame Onwuachi's new restaurant pays tribute to New York and survival". Washington Post. 2022-11-28. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  16. ^ "Kwame Onwuachi's Electric Tatiana, at Lincoln Center". The New Yorker. 2023-01-06. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  17. ^ Onwuachi, Kwame; Stein, Joshua David (2019). Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. ISBN 9781524732639.
  18. ^ a b Knoblauch, Mark. "My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef." Booklist, vol. 118, no. 13, 2022, pp. 10, https://www.booklistonline.com/Notes-from-a-Young-Black-Chef-By-Kwame-Onwuachi-and-Joshua-David-Stein/pid=9713518
  19. ^ Hansen, Drew (May 6, 2019). "Kwame Onwuachi wins big at James Beard Awards". Washington Business Journal.
  20. ^ James Beard Foundation. “Award Search: Rising Star Chef of the Year.” James Beard Foundation, 2019, https://www.jamesbeard.org/awards/search?categories%5BRestaurant%2B%26%2BChef%5D=1&ranks%5BWinner%5D=1&year=&keyword=rising%2Bstar.
  21. ^ Gordiner, Jeff (November 13, 2019). "Esquire's Best New Restaurants in America, 2019". Esquire.
  22. ^ Wells, Pete (2024-11-01). "Kwame Onwuachi Is a Whole New Kind of Celebrity Chef". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-03-09.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kwame_Onwuachi&oldid=1300015432"