Kia Damon facts for kids

Kia Damon, born in 1993, is a talented American chef. She became well-known when she was promoted to head chef at Lalito restaurant. This happened in Manhattan's Chinatown when she was just 24 years old. Later, in 2020, Damon competed on the TV show Chopped and won an episode. Today, she is the culinary director for the food magazine Cherry Bombe.

Kia Damon's Cooking Journey

Damon grew up in Orlando, Florida. She started her cooking career there. She worked in many different places, including restaurants, fast food spots, and food trucks. Before moving to New York, she was a sous-chef (a chef who helps the head chef) in Tallahassee. In every kitchen she worked in, Kia Damon was often the only Black woman chef.

Becoming a Head Chef

In 2018, Damon moved to New York City. She got a job as a sous-chef at Lalito, a restaurant in Chinatown. After only a few months, she was promoted to head chef. She was just 24 years old at the time. Damon left Lalito in June 2019. She felt the owner did not want to try her new ideas for the menu.

Winning Chopped

Kia Damon was invited to be a contestant on the TV show Chopped. She won her episode, which was shown in August 2020. Damon shared that she watched Chopped when she was growing up. Her father even encouraged her to try out for the show when she was a teenager.

Working with Cherry Bombe

In 2020, Cherry Bombe magazine named Damon as their first culinary director. In this role, she runs a test kitchen. She also hosts an Instagram Live show called On the Line. On this show, she highlights the amazing work of other chefs.

Damon often shares her experiences in the cooking world on her Instagram page. She believes being "authentic" (true to herself) helped her become famous. She uses her platform to talk about challenges she has faced. This includes small, everyday unfair actions and struggles with her mental health.

Other Important Work

Kia Damon has also used her skills to help others. She provided food support during the George Floyd protests in New York. She said that chef and Civil Rights Movement activist Georgia Gilmore has always been a big inspiration to her.

She also wrote a part of the 2020 nonfiction book Black Futures. This book was put together by Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham.

In August 2020, Damon started Kia Feeds The People. This is a new project to help people in Bed Stuy. It will give free groceries to those who need them.

About Kia Damon

Damon lives in Brooklyn, New York.