Skip to content
quotationscoffeecafe

quotationscoffeecafe

Welcome to the Food

Primary Menu quotationscoffeecafe

quotationscoffeecafe

  • Food & Cooking
  • Food Delivery
  • Recipes Food
  • Italian Food
  • Junk Food
  • Best Food
  • About Us
    • Advertise Here
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Sitemap
  • Food & Cooking

‘You can travel an ocean on a plate’

1 month ago Jaime E. Love

Chef Kwame Onwuachi sits down with Yahoo Finance Live to talk about his latest cookbook, experiences traveling the U.S., how people connect through food, managing a restaurant, and the outlook of the industry amid the continued pandemic.

Video Transcript

RACHELLE AKUFFO: Welcome back. Running a successful restaurant is hard enough, but the pandemic led to more than 10% closing permanently, according to Datassential, and leaving staff scrambling. But that’s not always where the story ends, as our next guest well knows. We’re joined by Chef Kwame Onwuachi, James Beard Award winning chef and author of “My America, Recipes from a Young Black Chef.”

A pleasure to have you on. I was always a big Kith and Kin restaurant lover, so really great to have you on. I wanted you to have– you talk about this journey, though, from having that restaurant closing to, now, this book tour that you’re on. What has that journey been like, especially as you’ll be coming back to DC, May 18?

KWAME ONWUACHI: Well, it’s a journey. I think the journey is the reward. You know, when the restaurant closed, it was in the midst of the pandemic. And I think everyone, whether you’re in the food industry or any craft, you’re figuring out what to do. And that’s all that I was doing, was trying to, like, chase happiness. And in that point of time, I started massaging other realms of things that I’m really interested in, whether it was writing, acting, doing creative direction. And that’s how this book came about.

Related Posts:

  • Marcus Samuelsson Shares His Favorite Juneteenth Recipes

DAVE BRIGGS: So, tell us, in your journey around the country, as you’re discovering different foods and preparing this book, did you learn as much about food as you did about people? We see so much divisiveness out there in the news and even the shooting over the weekend. But do you learn that food is one of the great unifiers?

KWAME ONWUACHI: Yeah, I think you can really get to know somebody by sitting down and having a meal with them. You can really get to know someone’s culture by tasting their cuisine. You can travel an ocean on a plate. And food is normally the epicenter of every single thing that we do, whether we’re celebrating, whether we’re mourning, whether we’re meeting people for the first time. So definitely, I’ve met a lot of people along the way by cooking, but also by sitting down and sharing a meal with them. And that’s what, “My America,” is about. It’s about bringing everyone together and talking about what cuisine means to me in America.

SEANA SMITH: Kwame, what are some of the trends or some of the habits that you’ve noticed amongst consumers? Because I’m sure they have evolved. I’m sure they have changed as a result of the pandemic. But what are you seeing firsthand?

KWAME ONWUACHI: People love to consume. I would say that people are just– they’re ready to go outside, and they’re ready to enjoy themselves and be around people. I think we’re social beings at the end of the day. So being locked up for so long, I think it’s bred us wanting to go out and celebrate and really connect with people. And that’s what I’m seeing, whether it’s fine dining or a mom and pop shop. It’s all the same. People want to get out there and break bread.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: And you’ve been very busy in terms of partnerships with Spotify, the Salamander Resort, ORLY Nail Polish, OXO, Cardi B, just to name a few. How many hats do you feel like a restauranteur has to wear these days to really try and withstand some of these economic shocks like a pandemic or supply chain issues?

KWAME ONWUACHI: I think I don’t think it’s just with the food industry. I think it’s just people in general need to be able to diversify their avenues of income and also their avenues of creative expression. I don’t like to be labeled. You know, I don’t like the label celebrity chef. I like to just chase happiness and then do things with intention. So I think as a people, this pandemic has made us, like, look within and say, like, am I really happy at this job that I’m at? And if not, what can I do to make myself happy while also providing for myself and my family?

DAVE BRIGGS: Kwame, to Rachelle’s point, I mean, hundreds of thousands of restaurants shut down during the pandemic. Is there a lesson or a couple of lessons that those that have survived– and I know some that have even thrived through those tough times– and are there lessons that they ought to have learned, moving forward?

KWAME ONWUACHI: Yeah, well, everything’s a lesson. The pandemic, it hit our restaurant industry extremely, extremely hard. I think the most valuable thing that we can take away from this is making sure that we’re taking care of our workers and our bottom line at the same time. The restaurant industry is not a passion project. It is a business, and it should be treated as such. And it shows that within this time, that I don’t think it was valued a lot. We were first responders. We were out there cooking for everybody.

So at the end of the day, we need to take better care of house and make sure that we’re better prepared for emergencies and things like that, so we can take care of our workers and everyone included.

SEANA SMITH: Kwame, this might be a bit of a loaded question, but what’s next for you? You’re releasing this book. You’ve done so much in the past, so much to be proud of, so much that you have accomplished. So what’s the next big thing that you’re looking forward to?

KWAME ONWUACHI: I’m just looking forward to this book. You know, I’m on this book tour right now. I want everybody to go out and get “My America.” It’s something that I’ve been working on for a while. It is my version of American cuisine. When you’re a kid and you’re growing up in America and someone puts food down in front of you, you’re not asking what nationality is this dish. You’re just saying thank you, you know? So this is my thank you letter to America.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: And I want to say, obviously, a lot of people having a tough time trying to afford groceries. I mean, we’re seeing all these long lines at food banks. For people who are trying to make a tasty meal on a budget, perhaps even if it’s something from your book, something affordable that people could still enjoy and share that sense of enjoying a meal, what would you recommend?

KWAME ONWUACHI: Oh, man, I would say start with a starch that can really stretch. You know, I think meat does not have to be the main star of a dish, especially if you’re on a budget. So try stretching a starch and seasoning it immaculately. And that’s what this book really talks about, is, making sure you have your marinades, which are very, very low cost, your spice blends, and making sure you’re seasoning things properly. So I would say just cook like you’re cooking for a loved one, and you’ll be fine.

DAVE BRIGGS: You managed to do that for the Obamas, for Jay-Z and Beyoncé, for Oprah, Dave Chappelle, just to mention a few. What have those experiences mean to you? What did you learn from that? And who’s that one person you really want to cook for?

KWAME ONWUACHI: I think it’s all been a beautiful journey. Cooking for anybody, it makes me extremely happy. But when you get to cook for your heroes, it’s definitely very, very special. But that person that I want to cook for, I’d say LeBron James. Like, bring it on. Like, where are you at, man? You know, I know you need to eat. Let’s do it.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: Well, he certainly heard you there, so we’ll see if he responds. Thank you so much for joining us today. Chef Kwame Onwuachi there, James Beard Award winning chef and “My America, Recipes from a Young Black Chef” author, thank you so much.

Tags: "Food Near Me, A Food Affair, A Food Chain, A Food Italy Is Famous For, A Food Web, A Foodborne Illness Is A Disease That, A Foodborne Illness Is A Disease Transmitted, A Foodborne Illness Outbreak Occurs When, A Foods, B Food Dishes, B Food Grade, B Food Items, B Food Logo, B Food Names, B Food Near Me, B Food Rating, B Food Science Co. Ltd, C Food Crush, C Food Names, C Food Rapper", C Food Shack, Food Addiction, Food Allergy, Food Allergy Symptoms, Food Allergy Testing, Food And Drug Administration, Food And Wine, Food Around Me, Food Aversion, Food Bank, Food Bank Of The Rockies, Food Banks Near Me, Food Baskets, Food Bazaar, Food Chain, Food Chain Definition, Food City, Food City Ad, Food City Near Me, Food City Weekly Ad, Food Coloring, Food Court, Food Delivery Near Me, Food Lion, Food Lion Near Me, Food Near Me Open, Food Network, Food Open Near Me, Food Poisoning, Food Stamps

Continue Reading

Previous ‘Made With Lau’ started as a humble home cooking project. Now it’s a YouTube success story
Next SUNDAY MAJORS: ‘mdf92’ Takes Home PokerStars Sunday Million Title

More Stories

  • Food & Cooking

38 of the Best Chef Cooking Tips We Picked Up at the 2022 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

10 hours ago Jaime E. Love
  • Food & Cooking

New restaurants, cookie dough bar and more in Evansville-area food news

3 days ago Jaime E. Love
  • Food & Cooking

3 common oven problems and how to fix them

4 days ago Jaime E. Love
June 2022
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  
« May    

Categories

  • Best Food
  • Food & Cooking
  • Food Delivery
  • Italian Food
  • Junk Food
  • Recipes Food

Archives

  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • March 2020
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • January 2017

Recent Posts

  • Your Food Processor Can Make Tasty Ice Cream: 4 Simple Steps
  • Diplomats urge action as global food crisis deepens
  • Glendale police arrest suspect in murder of food delivery driver
  • Red Lobster Menu With with Prices [Updated June 2022]- TheFoodXP
  • 38 of the Best Chef Cooking Tips We Picked Up at the 2022 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

Tags

"What Food To Buy Coronavirus Bridge 99 Food Trucks Business Carb Food The Lowest Central Texas Food Bank Rating Chinese Food Lake And Washington Chinse Food Deliverynear Me Cooking Coronavirus Food Shopping Devil Food Cake Recipes Diverse Food Culture San Francisco finance food foods Food Shopping For No Gallbladder Food Stamps Covid 19 Texas Food Stamps In Maui Food Stamps Office Oak Ridge Food Truck Charlotte Explosion Free Delivery Food Coronavirus Fresh Food Transport Vehicles Hpp Meaning Food Klcc Mall Food Court Latino Food News Local Oragnic Food Suppliers Low Carb Malaysian Chinese Food Mexican Food 75234 New Hampshire Food Cart Law Outdoor Refriderator Food Servers Pokemon Go Themed Food Portland Food Editor Karen Brooks Recipes Rotten Tomatoes Small Food Sacramento Food Tours Groupon Sawdust City Food Scotch Bonnet Food Item So Ono Food Products Shankar Superbowl Food Anthony Bourdain Thai Food Lake Grove Thisisinsider Food Logo What'S A Bitter Food Example Where Do Chefs Get Food Whole Food Selves Empty Why Thailand Have Fresh Food Wwlp Food Truck Festival

Visit Now

car title
Intellifluence Trusted Blogger

BL

TL

Related Article

  • Recipes Food

Your Food Processor Can Make Tasty Ice Cream: 4 Simple Steps

7 hours ago Jaime E. Love
  • Italian Food

Diplomats urge action as global food crisis deepens

8 hours ago Jaime E. Love
  • Food Delivery

Glendale police arrest suspect in murder of food delivery driver

9 hours ago Jaime E. Love
Red Lobster store
  • Food Delivery

Red Lobster Menu With with Prices [Updated June 2022]- TheFoodXP

9 hours ago Jaime E. Love
  • Food & Cooking

38 of the Best Chef Cooking Tips We Picked Up at the 2022 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

10 hours ago Jaime E. Love
quotationscoffeecafe.com © All rights reserved. | CoverNews by AF themes.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT