Kwame Onwuachi facts for kids
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| Born | November 11, 1989 Long Island, New York |
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| Education | The Culinary Institute of America |
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Previous restaurant(s)
Shaw Bijou, Philly Wing Fry, Kith and Kin, Tatiana
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Television show(s)
Top Chef: California
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Award(s) won
2019 James Beard Award, Rising Star Chef
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Kwame Onwuachi (born November 11, 1989) is a famous American chef. He became well-known after appearing on the TV show Top Chef in 2015.
Kwame has opened several successful restaurants. These include Shaw Bijou, Kith and Kin, and Tatiana. In 2019, he won a special award. The James Beard Foundation named him "Rising Star Chef of the Year."
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kwame Onwuachi was born on Long Island in New York. He spent most of his childhood growing up in The Bronx. When he was 10, his mother sent him to live with his grandfather. He stayed in Nigeria for two years to learn important life lessons.
Kwame had some challenges in school. He eventually graduated from Bronx Leadership Academy. This was a public high school in the city. After high school, he attended the University of Bridgeport. He later left the university.
Kwame Onwuachi's Career Journey
Starting Out in Cooking
After leaving university, Kwame moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 2010. He got a job cooking on a boat. This boat served crews who were cleaning up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. This experience helped him rediscover his love for cooking.
He returned to New York City in November of that year. He worked as a waiter at a restaurant called Craft. Later, he started his own catering business. In 2012, he decided to study cooking formally. He enrolled at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. While in culinary school, Kwame gained experience. He worked at a famous restaurant called Per Se. After earning his degree, he worked as a line cook at Eleven Madison Park.
Opening Restaurants
In 2015, Kwame Onwuachi joined Bravo's cooking TV show. He was a contestant on Top Chef: California and finished in sixth place.
In November 2016, he opened his first restaurant. It was called Shaw Bijou in Washington, D.C. The restaurant received mixed reviews. Some people felt it was too expensive. After two months, Kwame changed the menu and lowered prices. However, the main investor closed the restaurant in January 2017.
In late 2017, he opened "Kith and Kin." This restaurant served Afro-Caribbean food. The dishes were inspired by his family's roots. These roots included Louisiana, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Nigeria. Both The Washington Post and the Michelin Guide reviewed the restaurant. In July 2020, Kwame left Kith and Kin. He wanted to open his own new restaurant.
In November 2022, Kwame opened Tatiana in New York City. It is located at Lincoln Center. The restaurant blends flavors from the Caribbean, Africa, and the American South. Within its first six months, Tatiana was reviewed by many top publications. These included The New York Times and Eater.
Writing Cookbooks and Memoirs
In 2019, Kwame Onwuachi published his first book. It was called Notes from a Young Black Chef. He wrote it with Joshua David Stein. The book tells the story of his journey. It describes how he rose to become a top chef.
In May 2022, Kwame and Joshua David Stein released another book. This one was a cookbook. It was titled My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef.
Awards and Recognition
In 2019, Kwame Onwuachi received a major award. The James Beard Foundation named him "Rising Star Chef of the Year." Esquire magazine also honored him. They named him their Chef of the Year for 2019. They also recognized Kith and Kin as one of America's Best New Restaurants.
In 2021, Kwame returned to the Top Chef Kitchen. This time, he was a guest judge. He appeared on Season 18. In 2024, he was featured in an episode of the show Chef's Table.
