Mariya Russell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mariya Russell
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Mariya Moore-Russell, born around 1989, is an amazing African American chef and restaurant owner. She made history in September 2019. Mariya became the very first Black woman to earn a Michelin star. This special award happened while she was cooking at restaurants called Kumiko and Kikkō.
Mariya grew up in Springfield, Ohio, with her parents and four sisters. For high school, she moved to Columbus, Ohio. There, she joined a special program that first showed her how exciting it could be to become a chef. After high school, she moved to Chicago. She studied at The Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago and finished her studies in 2008.
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Mariya Russell's Career Journey
While living in Chicago, Mariya Russell worked at several restaurants. These included Uncommon Ground, Green Zebra, The Bristol, Nellcote, and Senza. At Green Zebra, she met Cara Sandoval and Noah Sandoval. Later, they asked her to join their new project, Kumiko and Kikkō.
Moving to Charleston
Mariya moved to Charleston, South Carolina, with her husband at the time, chef Garrett Russell. They lived there for three years. In 2016, they returned to Chicago. This was after her father passed away. Mariya also found that Charleston was a challenging place for her to live.
Becoming a Sous-Chef
In July 2016, Mariya took a job as a server at a restaurant called Oriole. She worked hard and moved up quickly. By 2018, she became a sous-chef and then a chef de cuisine. These are important roles in a kitchen. A sous-chef is like the second-in-command, and a chef de cuisine is in charge of the kitchen.
While at Oriole, Noah Sandoval asked Mariya to be the head chef for his new restaurants, Kumiko and Kikkō.
Earning a Michelin Star
Mariya was working at Kumiko and Kikkō when she received a Michelin star. This happened in September 2019, just a few days before her 30th birthday. A Michelin star is one of the highest honors a chef can get.
Soon after, Mariya shared on Instagram that she was taking a break. She wanted to focus on her own well-being. She explained, "I wasn’t really able to take care of myself every day. The job was all I could fit into my life. I just wanted to do more for myself and feel better."
New Adventures 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. She wanted to find out what she truly wanted in life. During this time, she learned more about her values. She made sure to get enough rest. She also planned the next steps for her new ideas.
For the past few years, Mariya has been doing "pop-ups" and working with other chefs. Pop-ups are temporary restaurants or food events. This work has led her to create her exciting new idea: Connie’s Underground Supper Club. More information about this new project will be coming soon!
