Bringing everyone to the table with Chef Adrienne Cheatham

05/23/22 • 39 min

2 Listeners

In this bonus episode of the Afros and Knives podcast in collaboration with For the Culture Magazine, host Tiffani Rozier chats with Chef Adrienne Cheatham about her new cookbook, Sunday Best. The full interview is available to the For the Culture patreon community--to hear every moment of this interview and to get access to the transcript head over to www.patreon.com/FortheCultureMagazine

Chef Adrienne grew up in the kitchens and dining rooms of restaurants her mother managed in Chicago, Illinois. She would help with busing tables, running food, washing dishes, and whatever was needed, after homework was finished. At her parents’ insistence, she went to college before pursuing her culinary ambitions, attending Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida, where she studied business and journalism.

Adrienne went on to work with Marcus Samuelsson as the Chef de Cuisine of the Marcus Samuelsson Group, opening Streetbird, where she received a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide, and Marcus’ Bermuda before being promoted to Executive Chef at Red Rooster. Adrienne has also traveled extensively with Chef Marcus for demonstrations, appearances, and festivals. Adrienne curated special tasting menus, including the Black History Month menu at Red Rooster, a multi-course menu inspired by female African-American chefs in the industry. When planning the Red Rooster Cookbook, Marcus tapped Adrienne to test and edit the recipes as well as cook/style all food that was photographed for the book.

Adrienne competed on season 15 of Top Chef, making it all the way to the finale and finishing second. She has been featured as a speaker at Cherry Bombe Magazine’s annual Jubilee festival and was the subject of a New York Times documentary series titled “Tastemakers.” Passionate about nutrition, she works with Schwan’s as part of the Chef’s Collective to develop healthy food for school lunch programs. Adrienne has appeared in Food & Wine, US Weekly, Sports Illustrated online, People, Grubstreet, Eater, AM New York, among others. Adrienne shares a home in Harlem with her best friend and husband, Stephen Bailey. She is also the founder of SundayBest, a pop-up series held in secret locations around Harlem.

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How Victoria Butler is Making History as the First Black Woman to Work as a Bourbon Master Blender

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Victoria Butler might be the first Black woman to work as a bourbon master blender, but her story begins long before she officially began her career in the industry. In fact, Butler's family tree reveals how her ancestry plays an instrumental role in the distilling industry, most notably her great, great grandfather Nearest Green, who was the genius mind behind Jack Daniels, one of the oldest American whiskeys on the market.

Photo credit: Eric Ryan Anderson

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Next Episode

Elle Simone Scott: Food Styling, Freelancing, and Finding Passion

In this episode of the Afros and Knives podcast, we have an enlightening conversation with Elle Simone Scott - a multi-talented chef, author, editor, and food stylist. Chef Elle shares her inspiring journey of switching from social work to the culinary world, as well as her struggles and successes as a Black woman in the industry. She also talks about the importance of having support systems and how she founded SheChef to help other women in the culinary field.

Chef Elle also shares her experience of transitioning from being a freelancer to working in a corporate setting, and how she uses her privileges to make a positive impact in the culinary media world. We discuss the challenges faced in diversifying culinary media, from limited access to finances and accredited programs to the lack of ownership.

We also delve into the various ways stories can be told, including through TV, streaming networks, web series, and social media influencers.

Key Points

• Elle Simone was a social worker before transitioning into the culinary industry

• She created She Chefs to provide access and resources to women of color

• Different ways to consume media

• Success looks different for every individual

• It's ok to admire qualities in someone you don't like