Joseph Johnson (chef)

Joseph "JJ" Johnson (born August 1, 1984) is a chef and author best known for cooking the food of the African diaspora. Johnson is a chef on Buzzfeed's Tasty platform and a television host on Just Eats with Chef JJ,[1] the founder of Ingrained Hospitality Concepts LLC, and recipient of a James Beard Foundation Book Award for Between Harlem and Heaven co-authored with Alexander Smalls.[2]

JJ Johnson
Born
Joseph Johnson

(1984-08-01) August 1, 1984
Long Island, New York
EducationCulinary Institute of America
Culinary career
Cooking styleAfro-Asian
Current restaurant(s)
  • FieldTrip
Previous restaurant(s)
    • The Cecil, Minton's
    • Centro Vinoteca
    • Jane
    • Tribeca Grill
Award(s) won
    • Forbes' 30 Under 30 in the Food & Wine category (2014)
    • Zagat’s 30 Under 30 (2014)
    • Eater Young Gun (2014)
Websitefieldtripnyc.com

Early life and education

Johnson was born in 1984 in Long Island, New York, but spent his youth in the Poconos. At the age of eight, Johnson was inspired to become a chef.

Aged 8, after seeing a commercial for the Culinary Institute of America,[3] Johnson told his mother that he wanted to become a chef, he credits his Puerto Rican grandmother as an inspiration in his TED talk.[4]

Career

After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, Johnson spent time in Ghana studying West African cuisine, before returning to cook at several New York City restaurants, including Tropico, Jane, Tribeca Grill, and Centro Vinoteca.[3]

In 2011, Johnson, aged 26, competed and won Bravo's Rocco's Dinner Party cooking competition, Alexander Smalls invited Johnson to breakfast to introduce the concept of Afro-Asian cooking to him. A year later, Johnson joined Smalls on an extended trip to Ghana, where they prepared a series of American-themed dinners.[5]

Upon their return, Smalls and Johnson developed 36 different menus that would ultimately be narrowed down to one Afro-Asian-inspired menu for The Cecil in 2013.[6]

Since its opening, the restaurant has garnered several awards including "Best New Restaurant in America" (Esquire).[7]

Johnson himself was ranked among Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in the Food & Wine category (2014),[8] Zagat's 30 Under 30 (2014)[9] and Eater's Young Guns (2014).[10]

Johnson and Smalls also co-authored the Afro-Asian inspired cookbook, Between Harlem and Heaven.[11]

In 2018, Johnson became the chef at The Henry at Life Hotel in Manhattan, with a menu that focuses on African diaspora cuisine.[12]

In 2019, Chef JJ and Ingrained Hospitality opened FIELDTRIP, a quick casual rice bowl shop in Harlem.

References
  1. "TV Show - Chef JJ Johnson - Restaurant in New York, NY".
  2. "The 2019 James Beard Media Award Winners". James Beard Foundation.
  3. "The Culinary Institute of America : Johnson, Joseph J.J." ciachef.edu. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
  4. "Culinary game changers | Chef JJ Johnson | TEDxColumbiaSIPA - YouTube". youtube.com. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
  5. "Joseph "JJ" Johnson's Adventures in Flavor". The Chefs Connection. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
  6. "Joseph "JJ" Johnson Sets Out to Create Afro Global Comfort Food - Cuisine Noir Magazine". 2018-06-21. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
  7. "This Is the Best New Restaurant in America..." Esquire. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
  8. "Joseph "JJ" Johnson, 29 - In Photos: 2014 30 Under 30: Food & Wine". Forbes. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
  9. "Zagat 30 Under 30 - New York City | 2014 Innovative Restaurants". Zagat. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
  10. "Meet Eater Young Guns Semi-Finalist Joseph "JJ" Johnson". Eater. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 2015-03-07.
  11. Ferst, Devra. "16 Essential Food Books That Define New York City". Saveur. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  12. "Chef JJ Johnson's Triumphant Solo Debut Centers African Diaspora Cuisine". foodandwine.com. Retrieved 2019-01-31.
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