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EDITED BY
AMY ELISA KEITH

2014 FOODIE AWARDS

Top Chefs!
CELEBRATING THE BEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN KITCHEN STARS
By AMY ELISA KEITH
MARCH 2014

/ V I S I T E B O N Y. C O M

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rab your
napkinthis
could get
delicious! The
13 honorees
featured in
our first-ever Chef Awards have
won for more than just their
finger-licking-good fare. During
their careers, they have transformed neighborhoods, blended
exotic cuisines, built dining empires and caused presidents and
stars alike to crave their specialties. These masters of the
kitchen have also taken traditional soul food to new culinary
heights. From fried chicken to
foie gras, EBONYs celebrity
panel of judges has cooked up a
list of the countrys best chefs!

Brown Sugar
Pineapple
Glazed Ribs

EBONYS PANEL OF JUDGES:

BEVY SMITH,

Lifestyle Expert
& Host of Bravos
Fashion Queens

LANCE GROSS,

Actor on NBCs
Crisis
THE BARONESS OF BRUNCH

TANYA HOLLAND

MARA
BROCK AKIL,

Singer & Foodie

JESSE WILLIAMS,

DAISY
LEWELLYN,

Writer & Producer

of BETs Being
Mary Jane

Actor on ABCs
Greys Anatomy

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ESTELLE,

Fashion Expert
& Star of Bravos
Blood, Sweat &
Heels

V I S I T E B O N Y. C O M / M A R C H 2 0 1 4

POSITION: Executive Chef, Brown Sugar

Kitchen
CITY: Oakland, Calif.
WHY SHE WON: Brunch in the Bay Area
isnt brunch without her fried chicken and
cornmeal waffles. Plus, Gross says, I have a
love for her shrimp and grits.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: I worked without pay
at a Michelin starred Relais & Chteau
resort on the island of Porquerolles in the
south of France, says Holland.
MOST OUTRAGEOUS INGREDIENT: In France,
I worked with all sorts of exotic ingredients,
such as sweetbreads, [which is] the thymus
gland of a calf.
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH: Aside from
mind-blowing brunch fare, Holland truly
delights with a Brown Sugar-Rubbed
Smoked Brisket.

G R O S S : C O R I S /J O E ST E V EN S ; B R O C K A K I L : R O C C O C ES EL I N ; EST EL L E : H A R RY P LU V I O S E / R E T N A ; W I L L I A M S : C O R B I S / ER I K P EN DZI C H

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Food

T H E M AV E R I C K

ROBLE ALI
POSITION: Caterer and star of
Bravo TVs Chef Robl & Co.
CITY: Brooklyn, NY
WHY HE WON: He is the coolest
guy in and out of the kitchen,
says Lewellyn. He truly knows
how to take classic, simple
dishes and turn them into
[exquisite] food.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: [It ] was
at the Mid-Hudson Forensic
Psychiatric Center where I
cooked for a very colorful crowd
of individuals every day. It was
quite a learning experience.
MOST OUTRAGEOUS INGREDIENT:
I once had the opportunity to
make scrambled eggs out of an
ostrich egg. The thing was the
size of my head!
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH: My
duck bacon mac-and-cheese.
The cheese sauce contains
seven different very highquality cheeses.

Tortilla
Lime Chicken
Bites
KENNY MINOR
POSITION: Personal chef &
caterer
CITY: New York City
WHY HE WON: His Southern
roots bring your palate to
an entirely new playing
field, says Lewellyn. His
cornmeal-crusted tilapia
mini taco had me
looking for someones
mama to slap.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: Prep
cook at 5 Ninth restaurant
in New York Citys

Meatpacking District,
cutting a lot of onions,
potatoes and carrots,
says Minor.
INGREDIENT OBSESSION:
Im obsessed with hickory
liquid smoke. It imparts
a distinctive savory flavor
to vegetables, and roasted
meats cant live without it.
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH:
Tortilla lime chicken
with smoky basil aioli,
says Minor.

ALISA REYNOLDS
POSITION: Executive Chef,

My Two Cents
CITY: Los Angeles
WHY SHE WON: This well-

LEAH CHASE
POSITION: Executive chef, Dooky Chases
CITY: New Orleans
WHY SHE WON: She keeps the tradition of New Orleans
Creole alive not only through her cuisine but also through
her incredible collection of African-American artwork and
her no-nonsense-yet-loving spirit! says Smith.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: Waiting tables in the French Quarter in
the 1940s.
INGREDIENT OBSESSION: I am a butter person. Dont come in
my kitchen if you dont like butter. I love butter.
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH: Gumbo ZHerbes. We also do a
turtle stew; snapping turtles are good around the spring.

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MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH:

Chicken in Waffles for our

Sunday brunch. Its our
homemade fried chicken
stuffed inside freshly made
mini Belgian waffles.

CORBIS

T H E M AT R I A R C H

trained and well-traveled chef is

blowing everybodys mind with
her new spin on soul food. She
embraces the best of our culture
and elevates it to a healthy,
tasty new level, says Akil.
Williams agrees. Whether you
have the now famous shrimp
n grits, the seafood gumbo,
black-eyed peas or peach
cobbler, everything is delicious,
fresh, light, local and as a result,
healthier than most soul food
fare.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: Pitting
thousands of olives at Park
Avenue Cafe in NYC.
INGREDIENT OBSESSION: Slap
Yo Mama line of Cajun products

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Food
THE KING OF CALI

GOVIND ARMSTRONG

Grilled
Hangar Steak
with
RoastedLeek
and
Peppers

BACKGROUND: Executive Chef,

Post & Beam and Willie Jane
CITY: Los Angeles & Venice,
Calif.
WHY HE WON: For more than two
decades, Armstrong has been
an integral part of Los Angeles
culinary evolution, bringing his
brand of fresh fare to Southern
cuisine, American burgers and
family-style dining. Gross says:
Post & Beam is a must!
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: At 13,
he became a prep cook and
apprentice to Wolfgang Puck at
the original Spago.
MOST OUTRAGEOUS DISH: Seared
Beaver Tail Carpaccio
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH: A
grilled cheese sandwich with
pulled short ribs.

KHALID JOHNSTON

RON DUPRAT
POSITION: Executive chef,

Latitudes Beaches Caf

CITY: Hollywood, Fla.
WHY HE WON: The Haitianborn chef prides himself on
being a voice for the sustainable
food movement. His use of
exotic flavors that blend Haitian
Creole accents with French and
American fare is a testament to
his remarkable versatility.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: A prep
cook and dishwasher at Little
Italy Restaurant.

POSITION: Sous Chef, Catch

NYC
CITY: New York City
WHY HE WON: Catch NYC is
one of the hottest restaurants
to visit after hours and
Johnstons execution of
contemporary seafood is
unparalleled, says Estelle.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: A comedy
club in Hoover, Ala.
MOST OUTRAGEOUS INGREDIENT:
The most exotic ingredient
I have used recently is birds
nest, which is an actual nest of
a swallow that the bird makes
out of its dried saliva.
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH:
Scallop seared with multicolor
cauliflower and lemon brownbutter scallop croutons.

MOST OUTRAGEOUS
INGREDIENT: Bull testicles.
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH:

Shrimp beignets and

butternut squash with sweet
potato bisque.

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V I S I T E B O N Y. C O M / M A R C H 2 0 1 4

THE LIFESTYLE GURU

B. SMITH
POSITION: Founder & Executive Chef, B. Smiths Restaurants
CITY: New York City and Sag Harbor, N.Y.
WHY SHE WON: For those in the Big Apple, B. Smiths is a
must-dine destination. Gross has been enjoying her brand of
elegant soul food for more than a decade. This is one spot I
love going to over and over. I can never get tired of the food!
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: An after-hours club in Greenwich Village
called The Night Owl. I started prepping and cooking at 7
p.m. We opened at 10 p.m. and closed around 5 a.m.
MOST OUTRAGEOUS INGREDIENTS: Crocodile, alligator and
kangaroo.
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH: Jerk turkey is my calling card!
Sweet potato pie tartlets are my signature, and chitlins in
puff pastry is the funniest dish I have ever prepared and a
family favorite.

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PAT & GINA NEELY

Deviled
Eggs with
Chicken Skin
Mayonnaise
MARCUS SAMUELSSON

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V I S I T E B O N Y. C O M / M A R C H 2 0 1 4

INGREDIENT OBSESSION:

Saffron, says Gina.

MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH:

My pork spare ribs and a side of

asparagus wrapped in bacon,
says Pat.

T H E S U LTA N O F S E A F O O D

NINA COMPTON
BACKGROUND: Chef de Cuisine, Scarpetta
CITY: Miami
WHY SHE WON: A self-proclaimed gnocchi queen, this
island girl from St. Lucia has revolutionized Italian
cuisine in Miami. For Estelle, Comptons cooking was
a very pleasant surprise. She adds, Im not a big
risotto fan, but her risotto is to die for and is paired with
unexpected ingredients.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: My first job was at Sandals
Regency La Toc in Saint Lucia.
INGREDIENT OBSESSION: Finger limes are a very cool
and interesting ingredient. They are limes shaped like
little pods and add a pop of citrus.
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH: Lamb Agnolotti dal Plin with
Arugula and Minted Bread Crumbs.
F o r o u r T o p C h e f s r e c i p e s , v i s i t E B O N Y . c o m

MICHAEL PISARRI

AMEERA LEGUEX
POSITION: Private Chef and
Executive Chef at H.O.M.E
Jazz Supper Club
CITY: Beverly Hills, Calif.
WHY SHE WON: The youthful
personal chef has a large
celebrity clientele who cannot
resist her blend of Southeast
Asian and Caribbean foods.
She makes the best garlic
noodles Ive tasted, insists
Gross.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: My first
kitchen job was unofficially
with my father. He was a local
successful restaurant owner,
and I was 14.
INGREDIENT OBSESSION:
White truffle oil. I use it on
everything from a simplistic
egg frittata with gruyere to a
savory brown-butter port wine
reduction.
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH:
Roasted Crab and Sweet
Garlic Noodles. My clients say
they are addictive.

POSITION: Executive Chef at Red Rooster Harlem,

Ginnys Supper Club, Ginnys Supper Club and
American Table Caf & Bar
CITY: New York City
WHY HE WON: In addition to being a James Beard awardwinning chef with the hottest restaurant in Harlem,
Samuelssons ability to weave Southern American cuisine
with notes of his Swedish and Ethiopian roots has
elevated soul food to new heights.
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: After studying at the Culinary
Institute in Gothenburg in Sweden, I apprenticed
in Switzerland. In 1994, I arrived in America for an
apprenticeship with Aquavit and worked my way up.
INGREDIENT OBSESSION: Berbere, an Ethiopian spice.
MOST WELL-KNOWN DISH: Oven-fried chicken.

POSITION: Food Network

Stars; Executive Chefs, Neelys
Barbeque Parlour
CITY: New York City
WHY THEY WON: The king and
queen of the Food Network have
an energy in the kitchen like
no other pair of chefs. Estelle
agrees: They cook Southern
American food like my mum
cooks African food: simple, easy
and it looks fun! Ive used their
cookbooks many times!
FIRST KITCHEN JOB: My
first kitchen job was with my
great-grandmother snapping
beans and mixing batter, says
Gina. At 13, Pat got his first
taste of cooking: My first job
in the kitchen was working for
my uncle who owned a small
restaurant. I did everything
I could to learn how his
business worked.