The vibes there are great and it’s very relaxed, with a nice open outdoor space as well. in New York City, but in DC, probably the Columbia Room. Where are you most excited to get a drink? It’s something that definitely reminds me of home, because I grew up in the Bronx around a lot of Dominican and Puerto Rican people, so it’s something that really resonates with my childhood and reminds me of home. I really like this braised tripe dish, like a tripe sofrito almost. The first meal would likely be Los, a little Dominican restaurant here in Washington, DC. Where are you most looking forward to having a dine-in meal again? We need to make adjustments for the PPP (Paycheck Protection Program), and we’ve been pushing all of our efforts towards that. We’re a business that really pumps out a lot of money that we make and that a lot of other industries rely on. You know, we’re not a business where you can just flip the lights on and it’s just like we’re right back to where we were. It’s great that they’re helping out a lot of small businesses, but we also need to make sure that we’re represented in a way that really puts them in our shoes, and lets them know that we operate on razor-thin margins. We need to make sure that we’re included in the CARES Act, as we’re not just another small business. It was a response to COVID-19 and the lack of response from the government, and we really wanted to mobilize a unit of like-minded individuals that are also in the same boat that needed answers and solutions during this tough time. The coalition was formulated to provide a voice for independent restaurants. You’ve taken on a lot with helping to found the Independent Restaurant Coalition. So, yeah, I mean it’s been five weeks trying to figure it out, stay busy, stay positive, stay motivated, and stay healthy throughout this timeframe and stay connected so my staff. Kwame Onwuachi: I mean it’s been tough - it’s been a tough process for sure, not being able to do what I love every single day. InsideHook: How has it been for you and your restaurant, Kith/Kin, since the start of the pandemic? We also wanted to hear what the chef has been cooking and eating since this all started, and where he’s most excited to drink and dine when it’s hopefully all over. By contrast, his next venture, Kith/Kin, continues to be a success, and in 2019 helped Onwuachi claim the coveted title of Rising Star Chef of the Year from the James Beard Foundation.Īs part of our new series First Meal Back, we caught up with Onwuachi to find out more about the Independent Restaurant Coalition, a group he recently helped found to give a voice to small restaurants across the country. This meteoric trajectory was halted once again when he opened his first restaurant in DC, the Shaw Bijou, which closed after just 11 weeks - highlighting just how difficult it is to keep the doors of a fledgling restaurant open and profitable in the best of times. He eventually scraped together enough funds to start his own catering business, leading to an unparalleled upwards journey that involved culinary school, working at some of the top restaurants in NYC and competing on Bravo’s Top Chef. Growing up in the Bronx in New York, Onwuachi contended with plenty of financial hardship, at one point joining a gang, selling drugs and getting expelled from college. The coronavirus pandemic certainly isn’t the first time Chef Kwame Onwuachi, owner of DC Afro-Caribbean restaurant Kith/Kin, has had to deal with a little adversity. In honor of all of the restaurants we dearly miss and can’t wait to get back to, we’re asking some of the country’s most decorated chefs to tell us about the meals that will be at the top of their list when Stay at Home orders finally lift.
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