The culinary arts are almost a forgotten talent in the black community. But even as some of us struggle to make a decent meal, there are are many who’ve gone from messing around in the kitchen to master chefs. From traditional southern dishes, to Asian fusion, celebrity chefs have prepared it all, and in some of the most exclusive eateries in the nation. Here’s our list of top black celebrity chefs who are keeping the competition hot.
G. Gavin
G. Gavin started out as a bus boy in Atlanta’s Vining’s Inn. At age 13 he worked to help his single mother feed the family, which included Garvin’s four sisters. Bussing tables at the high end establishment sparked his interest. He went on to work at the Ritz-Carlton and study the art of crafting cuisine from some of the best. His much hailed restaurant, G. Garvin’s in Los Angeles, opened the door to other opportunities, including his own cooking show on the network TV One. Garvin’s superior recipes for the everyman, has lead to a fan following and provided content for his books including, Turn up the Heat with G.Garvin.
Marcus Samuelsson
At 24, Marcus Samuelsson became executive chef of Aquavit in New York. He soon followed up that appointment with the distinction of becoming the youngest person ever to receive a three-star restaurant review from The New York Times. From there his career as celebrity chef took off. In addition to his recognition as a world-class chef, Samuelsson is an award-winning cookbook author with titles in both English and Swedish. The Ethiopian born, Swedish bred chef wrote an African-inspired cookbook The Soul of a New Cuisine which received the “Best International Cookbook” prize from the James Beard Foundation. He’s also had a television show, “Inner Chef”, which aired in 2005 on Discovery Home Channel and yet another program in 2008, “Urban Cuisine” on BET J/Centric. These days he’s holding it down at Red Rooster, a Harlem hotspot, he opened last year.
Jeff Henderson
Jeff Henderson wasn’t always on track to becoming an award winning celebrated chef. He spent time in prison for drugs serving almost a decade behind bars. But Henderson had a passion for cooking and in 2001 he became the first African-American Chef de Cuisine at Caesars Palace. He went on to become the executive chef at the Bellagio, where he worked until 2006. He recounted his journey from prison to the world of four star cuisine in the New York Times Best selling autobiography Cooked. Will Smith’s production company, Overbrook Entertainment, purchased the rights to the book in hopes of making a film of Henderson’s life.
Kevin Sbraga
Before becoming America’s Top Chef, Kevin Sbraga set out to following in the footsteps of his parents. His father owned a bakery and Sbraga’s mother included her son in creating meals for the family. Sbraga studied the art of great cuisine at Johnson & Wales. And in 2004, Sbraga won acclaim at La Mas Perrier, the Main Line restaurant of internationally famed Chef Georges Perrier. His rise to fame was given a boost last year when Sbraga became the first African American to win Bravo TV’s Top Chef.
Joe Randall
The name Chef Joe Randall has become synonymous with authentic Southern Cuisine. Mentored by one of the great African American chefs Robert W. Lee, Randall not only mastered the art of cooking, but he opened a school to share his expansive knowledge with others, including cooking icon Paula Dean. Chef Randall is a historian in addition to being a foodie. He started the Black Chef Hall of Fame in honor of the great tradition of African-American cookery and the rich legacy of culinary excellence.
B. Smith
B. Smith has established herself as a celebrity and a chef. The former model turned entrepreneur owns three successful B. Smith restaurants. She’s also been recognized by Elle Décor as one of America’s ten most outstanding non-professional chefs. She’s written several cookbooks including, B. Smith Cooks Southern Style. Smith also launched a collection of celebrity DVD cookbooks that combined the best recipes and celebrity appearances from her popular daytime television series. More recently she formed a partnership with Missa Bay frozen foods company to create a line of foods under the name Just Like Home Series (JLHS).
Bryant Terry
Bryant Terry got his roots in culinary art in his native Memphis, Tennessee. But since his time on the farm, he’s grown into an eco chef, food justice activist, and author of two critically acclaimed books–Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine and Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen, which the New York Times called “ingenious”. Over the past decade Bryant has used cooking as a tool to highlight issues like poverty, structural racism, and food insecurity.
