KWAME ONWUACHI
Dōgon by Kwame Onwuachi (NYC)
Kwame Onwuachi is a James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur, and author. His impressive career includes being named to Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2025, one of Food & Wine's Best New Chefs, Esquire Magazine's 2019 Chef of the Year, and a 30 Under 30 honoree by both Zagat and Forbes. On top of that, he was named the most important chef in America by the San Francisco Chronicle.
Raised in New York City, Nigeria, and Louisiana, Onwuachi's culinary journey began in his mother's modest Bronx apartment. He turned his early passion into a thriving career, which includes a diverse range of experiences, from working on oil cleanup ships to cooking in some of the world's top restaurants. He trained at the Culinary Institute of America and by the age of 30, had opened five restaurants, including the groundbreaking Afro-Caribbean eatery Kith/Kin in Washington, D.C.
In 2025, Onwuachi was selected by Anna Wintour and the Met Gala Board to curate the menu for Superfine: Tailoring Black Style. He has hosted the James Beard Awards in both 2021 and 2022 and frequently appears as a judge or talent on TV shows such as “Top Chef,” “Chopped,” “Billions,” and “Somebody Feed Phil.” Kwame is a part of the The Culinary Collective by The Centurion Lounge, a Lexus Culinary Master, and currently serves as an Executive Producer for Food & Wine, collaborating on major brand events like the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.
In 2021, he released his first cookbook, “My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef,” which features over 125 recipes inspired by the African Diaspora, including Onwuachi's own family's culinary history, from Nigeria and the Caribbean to the South and the Bronx. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed memoir Notes from a Young Black Chef, which is currently being adapted into a feature film. In September 2026, he’ll release his next cookbook, “All Hours: Crazy Good Food for Whatever, Whenever,” a collection of the bold, craveable recipes he cooks around the clock, from quick morning bites to late-night fare.
Onwuachi's restaurant, Tatiana, opened at Lincoln Center in November 2022, honoring his New York roots and the culinary legacy of the African Diaspora. Since its debut, Tatiana has received multiple accolades, including being named the "#1 Restaurant in New York" by the New York Times for two consecutive years, "The One to Watch" by World's 50 Best Restaurants, and a spot on North America's 50 Best List in 2026.
In the summer of 2024, Onwuachi partnered with Salamander DC to open Dōgon, a restaurant inspired by the Mali-based African tribe of the same name, which pays tribute to Benjamin Banneker, a descendant of the tribe who played a key role in Washington, D.C.'s early design. Within six months, Dōgon earned a spot as #2 on Washingtonian's list of Best Restaurants in D.C., was included on Condé Nast Traveler's Best New Restaurants in the World: 2025 Hot List and New York Times Best Restaurants of 2025, and was named to North America's 50 Best List in 2026.
Maroon, now open at SAHARA Las Vegas, marks Chef Kwame Onwuachi's first West Coast restaurant. A Caribbean steakhouse, Maroon brings his signature blend of Nigerian, Creole, and Afro-Caribbean influences to the Strip, translating the bold, heritage-driven cooking that defines Tatiana and Dōgon into an elevated steakhouse setting. The opening represents a milestone in Onwuachi's expanding national portfolio, extending his reach from New York and Washington, D.C. to Las Vegas.
Onwuachi's Patty Palace by Chef Kwame is available at Citi Field and Barclays Center with more news to come.
