Mariya Russell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mariya Russell
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Mariya Moore-Russell (born around 1989) is a talented African American chef and restaurant owner. She made history in September 2019. Mariya became the first black woman to earn a Michelin star. This special award recognized her amazing cooking skills at the restaurants Kumiko and Kikkō.
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Mariya Russell's Early Life and Education
Mariya Moore-Russell grew up in Springfield, Ohio. She lived there with her parents and four sisters. Later, she moved to Columbus, Ohio for high school. There, she joined a special program called a career academy. This program first showed her how exciting it could be to become a chef.
After high school, Mariya moved to Chicago. She studied at The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. She finished her studies and graduated in 2008.
Mariya's Journey as a Chef
While living in Chicago, Mariya Russell worked at several well-known restaurants. These included Uncommon Ground, Green Zebra, The Bristol, Nellcote, and Senza. At Green Zebra, she met Cara Sandoval and Noah Sandoval. They later asked her to join their new project, Kumiko and Kikkō.
Mariya then moved to Charleston, South Carolina. She lived there for three years. In 2016, she returned to Chicago. She took a job as a server at a restaurant called Oriole. She quickly moved up, becoming a sous-chef and then a chef de cuisine in 2018. While at Oriole, Noah Sandoval invited her to be the head chef for his new restaurants, Kumiko and Kikkō.
Earning a Michelin Star
In September 2019, Mariya Russell received a Michelin star. This happened while she was working as a chef at Kumiko and Kikkō. It was a huge honor, and it happened just before her 30th birthday.
Soon after getting the award, Mariya announced on Instagram that she was taking a break. She wanted to focus on her own well-being. She explained that her job had taken up all her time. She wanted to do more for herself and feel better.
New Ventures and Entrepreneurship
Chef Mariya decided to change her career path. She wanted to become an entrepreneur, which means starting her own business. In August 2020, she moved to Hawaii.
After returning to the mainland, Mariya Russell has been busy. She now focuses on running "pop-ups." These are temporary restaurants or food events. She also works on "chef collaborations," where she cooks with other chefs.
