Johnson, Joseph 'JJ'
1984-present · Contribution: 2014-
Chef & Author
Won the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook for 'Between Harlem and Heaven,' co-authored with Alexander Smalls, already profiled in this collection; founded Fieldtrip, a fast-casual restaurant built specifically around rice as a global heritage grain connecting African, Caribbean, Asian, and American culinary traditions
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Quick facts
- Born
- 1985
- Active since
- 2014
- Category
- Agriculture & Food
- Best known for
- Between Harlem and HeavenFieldtrip (rice-focused)Forbes 30 Under 30
Impact on the world
Johnson placed rice at the center of a global story about the African diaspora, using a single grain to connect cuisines across continents. His award-winning book helped redefine Afro-Asian American cooking.
An alternative history
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Sources
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Related visionaries
Smalls, Alexander
1952-
Won a Grammy and Tony Award as part of the cast recording of 'Porgy and Bess' before becoming a celebrated restaurateur of Southern and Lowcountry cuisine; co-authored 'Between Harlem and Heaven,' which won the James Beard Award for Best American Cookbook
Onwuachi, Kwame
1989-
Opened five restaurants before turning thirty, including Washington D.C.'s acclaimed Kith/Kin; won the James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year award in 2019; his memoir 'Notes from a Young Black Chef' was named one of Time's essential books and is being adapted into a feature film
Samuelsson, Marcus (Kassahun Tsegie)
1971-
Youngest chef ever to receive a three-star New York Times restaurant review; opened Harlem's Red Rooster in 2010, cooked the Obama administration's first state dinner, and has won eight James Beard Foundation Awards
Hall, Carla Renata
1964-
Became a nationally recognized television chef after first building careers as a certified public accountant and runway model; co-hosted ABC's Emmy-winning 'The Chew' and competed on two seasons of Bravo's 'Top Chef'