welcome thank you do you mind if we talk a little bit about your early years your
a little bit about your early years your
a little bit about your early years your early biography of you were adopted when
early biography of you were adopted when
early biography of you were adopted when you were three years old you and your
you were three years old you and your
you were three years old you and your sister after your mother had fallen ill
sister after your mother had fallen ill
sister after your mother had fallen ill in fact many many people in it Ethiopia
in fact many many people in it Ethiopia
in fact many many people in it Ethiopia had fallen out tuberculosis yeah most my
had fallen out tuberculosis yeah most my
had fallen out tuberculosis yeah most my mom my sister myself we had it and you
mom my sister myself we had it and you
mom my sister myself we had it and you know we lived out in the countryside and
know we lived out in the countryside and
know we lived out in the countryside and it was really my my mom and my sister
it was really my my mom and my sister
it was really my my mom and my sister that walked into a big Hospital my mom
that walked into a big Hospital my mom
that walked into a big Hospital my mom passed away my sister now we survived so
passed away my sister now we survived so
passed away my sister now we survived so talking about Sweden and talking about
talking about Sweden and talking about
talking about Sweden and talking about you are your adopted parents Ann Marie
you are your adopted parents Ann Marie
you are your adopted parents Ann Marie is your mother’s name and she wasn’t
is your mother’s name and she wasn’t
is your mother’s name and she wasn’t much of a cook was she a mom I was a
much of a cook was she a mom I was a
much of a cook was she a mom I was a horrible cook nice woman horrible comes
horrible cook nice woman horrible comes
horrible cook nice woman horrible comes her mother was a fantastic cook so what
her mother was a fantastic cook so what
her mother was a fantastic cook so what about your grandmother’s roast chicken
about your grandmother’s roast chicken
about your grandmother’s roast chicken what can we talk about yeah I mean Helga
what can we talk about yeah I mean Helga
what can we talk about yeah I mean Helga you know the funny thing with with the
you know the funny thing with with the
you know the funny thing with with the cooks that I know the cooks that I sort
cooks that I know the cooks that I sort
cooks that I know the cooks that I sort of admire that all came out of poverty
of admire that all came out of poverty
of admire that all came out of poverty when I think about but the you know they
when I think about but the you know they
when I think about but the you know they lived a rich life but I think about the
lived a rich life but I think about the
lived a rich life but I think about the cooks of madatha most of my life I think
cooks of madatha most of my life I think
cooks of madatha most of my life I think about a lady like Lea chased out in
about a lady like Lea chased out in
about a lady like Lea chased out in Orleans that sort of had the first
Orleans that sort of had the first
Orleans that sort of had the first integrated restaurant in this country
integrated restaurant in this country
integrated restaurant in this country and owned her own business since the
and owned her own business since the
and owned her own business since the forties in America and my grandmother
forties in America and my grandmother
forties in America and my grandmother you know they were born into poverty but
you know they were born into poverty but
you know they were born into poverty but they knew how to cook and so they ate
they knew how to cook and so they ate
they knew how to cook and so they ate well but maybe you know didn’t have what
well but maybe you know didn’t have what
well but maybe you know didn’t have what we think it was a lot of money and my
we think it was a lot of money and my
we think it was a lot of money and my grandmother’s cooking although when she
grandmother’s cooking although when she
grandmother’s cooking although when she passed away she was a middle-class
passed away she was a middle-class
passed away she was a middle-class Swedish woman that did you know that
Swedish woman that did you know that
Swedish woman that did you know that they did very well but a cooking came
they did very well but a cooking came
they did very well but a cooking came out of poverty that never changed her
out of poverty that never changed her
out of poverty that never changed her DNA on roasting chicken putting the
DNA on roasting chicken putting the
DNA on roasting chicken putting the vegetables on the knees letting the
vegetables on the knees letting the
vegetables on the knees letting the chicken fat trip in the next day have a
chicken fat trip in the next day have a
chicken fat trip in the next day have a chicken soup
chicken soup
chicken soup and maybe the third day having chicken
and maybe the third day having chicken
and maybe the third day having chicken dumpling you know so the way Julie are
dumpling you know so the way Julie are
dumpling you know so the way Julie are upset by threats that bird and always
upset by threats that bird and always
upset by threats that bird and always had broth on in the back you know she’s
had broth on in the back you know she’s
had broth on in the back you know she’s smart smart ladies you know she had also
smart smart ladies you know she had also
smart smart ladies you know she had also child labor she had all three running up
child labor she had all three running up
child labor she had all three running up and down taking care of the pantry and
and down taking care of the pantry and
and down taking care of the pantry and making like there was always when you
making like there was always when you
making like there was always when you enter a house you had to work there was
enter a house you had to work there was
enter a house you had to work there was always something going on now thinking
always something going on now thinking
always something going on now thinking about that chicken to what I thought was
about that chicken to what I thought was
about that chicken to what I thought was really interesting was that your
really interesting was that your
really interesting was that your grandmother instinctively knew something
grandmother instinctively knew something
grandmother instinctively knew something about the temperature that that chicken
about the temperature that that chicken
about the temperature that that chicken needed to be in the same way that chefs
needed to be in the same way that chefs
needed to be in the same way that chefs who are cooking a twenty seven dollar
who are cooking a twenty seven dollar
who are cooking a twenty seven dollar chicken today do the same thing but they
chicken today do the same thing but they
chicken today do the same thing but they do it in a different way can you talk
do it in a different way can you talk
do it in a different way can you talk about that a little bit you know the
about that a little bit you know the
about that a little bit you know the cooking is it’s like anything you do a
cooking is it’s like anything you do a
cooking is it’s like anything you do a lot it’s just instinct right it’s almost
lot it’s just instinct right it’s almost
lot it’s just instinct right it’s almost like a jazz musicians you know it some
like a jazz musicians you know it some
like a jazz musicians you know it some people come from it from a school some
people come from it from a school some
people come from it from a school some people were just born with it but when
people were just born with it but when
people were just born with it but when you add that concert or when you’re
you add that concert or when you’re
you add that concert or when you’re cooking it doesn’t really matter we’re
cooking it doesn’t really matter we’re
cooking it doesn’t really matter we’re here now and either you learn those
here now and either you learn those
here now and either you learn those muscles or you don’t
muscles or you don’t
muscles or you don’t my mom had this fancy electric oven my
my mom had this fancy electric oven my
my mom had this fancy electric oven my mom my grandmother never trusted that
mom my grandmother never trusted that
mom my grandmother never trusted that oven so thank you my grandmother she had
oven so thank you my grandmother she had
oven so thank you my grandmother she had an oven that we have to feed with word
an oven that we have to feed with word
an oven that we have to feed with word all the time so the just understanding
all the time so the just understanding
all the time so the just understanding how an oven works things like that that
how an oven works things like that that
how an oven works things like that that cooking school it’s not going to teach
cooking school it’s not going to teach
cooking school it’s not going to teach you that yeah
you that yeah
you that yeah cooking school is not going to teach how
cooking school is not going to teach how
cooking school is not going to teach how you taste something and you know she
you taste something and you know she
you taste something and you know she used to taste the sauce by pouring it
used to taste the sauce by pouring it
used to taste the sauce by pouring it straight into her hand and tasted like
straight into her hand and tasted like
straight into her hand and tasted like this right no there wasn’t you know so
this right no there wasn’t you know so
this right no there wasn’t you know so it’s stuff like that that you know you
it’s stuff like that that you know you
it’s stuff like that that you know you have to be a real craftsman to
have to be a real craftsman to
have to be a real craftsman to understand
understand
understand so at aquavit how excited were you when
so at aquavit how excited were you when
so at aquavit how excited were you when they said yeah come and come and work
they said yeah come and come and work
they said yeah come and come and work here no it’s very exciting Aquarius has
here no it’s very exciting Aquarius has
here no it’s very exciting Aquarius has always been sort of the the only
always been sort of the the only
always been sort of the the only Scandinavian restaurant in outside
Scandinavian restaurant in outside
Scandinavian restaurant in outside Scandinavia the person who owned aquavit
Scandinavia the person who owned aquavit
Scandinavia the person who owned aquavit at the time he came back after couple of
at the time he came back after couple of
at the time he came back after couple of months of looking for a chef and
months of looking for a chef and
months of looking for a chef and he said I know it’s gonna be the new
he said I know it’s gonna be the new
he said I know it’s gonna be the new chef like who is it you gonna be the new
chef like who is it you gonna be the new
chef like who is it you gonna be the new chef and I was like well let me think
chef and I was like well let me think
chef and I was like well let me think about this because it made me nervous I
about this because it made me nervous I
about this because it made me nervous I didn’t want to be I could’ve just very
didn’t want to be I could’ve just very
didn’t want to be I could’ve just very famous restaurant in Scandinavia I don’t
famous restaurant in Scandinavia I don’t
famous restaurant in Scandinavia I don’t want to be the guy to close it I’m like
want to be the guy to close it I’m like
want to be the guy to close it I’m like let me isn’t that because it’s just
let me isn’t that because it’s just
let me isn’t that because it’s just being paranoid I’m like no I don’t want
being paranoid I’m like no I don’t want
being paranoid I’m like no I don’t want all that but also knew that timing of
all that but also knew that timing of
all that but also knew that timing of stuff doesn’t always work no I wrote to
stuff doesn’t always work no I wrote to
stuff doesn’t always work no I wrote to get two three-star Michelin restaurant
get two three-star Michelin restaurant
get two three-star Michelin restaurant 30 times before I got in that didn’t fit
30 times before I got in that didn’t fit
30 times before I got in that didn’t fit with my timing so you know there were 30
with my timing so you know there were 30
with my timing so you know there were 30 there was 29 notes I mean yeah so I also
there was 29 notes I mean yeah so I also
there was 29 notes I mean yeah so I also knew the opposite of that timing is just
knew the opposite of that timing is just
knew the opposite of that timing is just not gonna be presented to you and I
not gonna be presented to you and I
not gonna be presented to you and I think it even helped me being black in
think it even helped me being black in
think it even helped me being black in that case hmm because I knew how rare we
that case hmm because I knew how rare we
that case hmm because I knew how rare we get the shots so you better take it
get the shots so you better take it
get the shots so you better take it right you better do the most out of it
right you better do the most out of it
right you better do the most out of it well and you definitely made that
well and you definitely made that
well and you definitely made that opportunity work for you because I think
opportunity work for you because I think
opportunity work for you because I think by the time you were literally just less
by the time you were literally just less
by the time you were literally just less than a year later when you were 24 a
than a year later when you were 24 a
than a year later when you were 24 a little food writer named Ruth reichal in
little food writer named Ruth reichal in
little food writer named Ruth reichal in the New York Times reviewed reviewed
the New York Times reviewed reviewed
the New York Times reviewed reviewed your meal yeah and something happened
your meal yeah and something happened
your meal yeah and something happened and we got three stars from the New York
and we got three stars from the New York
and we got three stars from the New York Times and you know what I was youngest
Times and you know what I was youngest
Times and you know what I was youngest he is the youngest chef to ever receive
he is the youngest chef to ever receive
he is the youngest chef to ever receive a three-star review from the New York
a three-star review from the New York
a three-star review from the New York Times yeah I mean come on
but what I like about that more than
but what I like about that more than anything is that we really had no clue
anything is that we really had no clue
anything is that we really had no clue that she was in the building any of
that she was in the building any of
that she was in the building any of those times and when I say like we had
those times and when I say like we had
those times and when I say like we had no clue we had no clue did she wear a
no clue we had no clue did she wear a
no clue we had no clue did she wear a disguise or something what about us
disguise or something what about us
disguise or something what about us because we didn’t know we were so
because we didn’t know we were so
because we didn’t know we were so disorganized we were just working it
disorganized we were just working it
disorganized we were just working it could have been said New York Times on a
could have been said New York Times on a
could have been said New York Times on a forehand ruin them no so what what
forehand ruin them no so what what
forehand ruin them no so what what happened after a covey what was your
happened after a covey what was your
happened after a covey what was your your next big adventure you know I
your next big adventure you know I
your next big adventure you know I remember the weekend before 9/11 I did I
remember the weekend before 9/11 I did I
remember the weekend before 9/11 I did I was cooking at the towers I was cooking
was cooking at the towers I was cooking
was cooking at the towers I was cooking there down there and the following
there down there and the following
there down there and the following weekend the weekend of 9/11 I was in
weekend the weekend of 9/11 I was in
weekend the weekend of 9/11 I was in Australia and I just remember a guy
Australia and I just remember a guy
Australia and I just remember a guy waking me up like knocked on my door you
waking me up like knocked on my door you
waking me up like knocked on my door you gotta you gotta put on TV and I saw the
gotta you gotta put on TV and I saw the
gotta you gotta put on TV and I saw the stuff that happened and I knew a lot of
stuff that happened and I knew a lot of
stuff that happened and I knew a lot of those cooks I know a lot of the service
those cooks I know a lot of the service
those cooks I know a lot of the service I need a lot of a new chef at the tower
I need a lot of a new chef at the tower
I need a lot of a new chef at the tower yeah the tire on at the top right and it
yeah the tire on at the top right and it
yeah the tire on at the top right and it was one of those times where you started
was one of those times where you started
was one of those times where you started thinking about okay what am i doing like
thinking about okay what am i doing like
thinking about okay what am i doing like what is this gonna be there’s gonna be
what is this gonna be there’s gonna be
what is this gonna be there’s gonna be my life to cook for the richest people
my life to cook for the richest people
my life to cook for the richest people in the world for the rest of fill these
in the world for the rest of fill these
in the world for the rest of fill these 80 seats every night and I started to
80 seats every night and I started to
80 seats every night and I started to think about it you know what can a chef
think about it you know what can a chef
think about it you know what can a chef do what is my other purposes and my call
do what is my other purposes and my call
do what is my other purposes and my call was that experience right to post that
was that experience right to post that
was that experience right to post that yeah and I decided to you know what let
yeah and I decided to you know what let
yeah and I decided to you know what let me let me move to Harlem let me move
me let me move to Harlem let me move
me let me move to Harlem let me move somewhere else so I’m like what if you
somewhere else so I’m like what if you
somewhere else so I’m like what if you know what if I can open a small
know what if I can open a small
know what if I can open a small restaurant here that puts the community
restaurant here that puts the community
restaurant here that puts the community could becomes a waterhole for the
could becomes a waterhole for the
could becomes a waterhole for the community that is of and similar to
community that is of and similar to
community that is of and similar to Sylvia’s and in the place of creating
Sylvia’s and in the place of creating
Sylvia’s and in the place of creating jobs but just done a little bit
jobs but just done a little bit
jobs but just done a little bit different and that was really when the
different and that was really when the
different and that was really when the whole idea of Red Rooster for me started
whole idea of Red Rooster for me started
whole idea of Red Rooster for me started to become real and then by 2010 we
to become real and then by 2010 we
to become real and then by 2010 we opened Red Rooster and how’s it doing
opened Red Rooster and how’s it doing
opened Red Rooster and how’s it doing these days we were very fortunate you
these days we were very fortunate you
these days we were very fortunate you know
know
know I’m very fortunate yeah we’re really
I’m very fortunate yeah we’re really
I’m very fortunate yeah we’re really blessed by the community and we’re
blessed by the community and we’re
blessed by the community and we’re really blessed by but you know it’s not
really blessed by but you know it’s not
really blessed by but you know it’s not about I never measured a restaurant and
about I never measured a restaurant and
about I never measured a restaurant and it’s easy to say when you’re busy all
it’s easy to say when you’re busy all
it’s easy to say when you’re busy all the time but I don’t measure it by how
the time but I don’t measure it by how
the time but I don’t measure it by how busy it is I measure it by the goals and
busy it is I measure it by the goals and
busy it is I measure it by the goals and the reason why I put it in there what is
the reason why I put it in there what is
the reason why I put it in there what is that what is the purpose what is the
that what is the purpose what is the
that what is the purpose what is the core purpose the purpose was to really
core purpose the purpose was to really
core purpose the purpose was to really create something to inspire and aspire
create something to inspire and aspire
create something to inspire and aspire right the purple was to create jobs of
right the purple was to create jobs of
right the purple was to create jobs of the trade that I’ve been lucky nothing
the trade that I’ve been lucky nothing
the trade that I’ve been lucky nothing to be part of the purpose was to also
to be part of the purpose was to also
to be part of the purpose was to also create a and other Soyoung particularly
create a and other Soyoung particularly
create a and other Soyoung particularly people of color can say hey I can own a
people of color can say hey I can own a
people of color can say hey I can own a business hey I can become a chef hey I
business hey I can become a chef hey I
business hey I can become a chef hey I can become a bartender whatever your
can become a bartender whatever your
can become a bartender whatever your goal is but it’s a field here and here’s
goal is but it’s a field here and here’s
goal is but it’s a field here and here’s an upper tier represents an opportunity
an upper tier represents an opportunity
an upper tier represents an opportunity this trade that a lot of people of color
this trade that a lot of people of color
this trade that a lot of people of color really started in and served in but the
really started in and served in but the
really started in and served in but the minute became a profession didn’t fit
minute became a profession didn’t fit
minute became a profession didn’t fit into anymore can really take back its
into anymore can really take back its
into anymore can really take back its authorship that’s the intent and that
authorship that’s the intent and that
authorship that’s the intent and that takes time and thank you so much for
takes time and thank you so much for
takes time and thank you so much for coming good game with us not done you
coming good game with us not done you
coming good game with us not done you did a great job you did
”
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