Kwame Onwachi: Grit & Grace to ”Overnight” Success

When Kwame Onwuachi was 26 he had already experienced more career highs and lows than chefs twice his age. He worked in the top restaurants, competed on the TV series, "Top Chef," and opened his own restaurant—The Shaw Bijou when he was 25.  The restaurant was one of the most anticipated openings in the country and it closed after 11 weeks. The press roasted the young chef. How did Kwame recover after such a public failure? In his new book, Notes from a Young Black Chef, Kwame talked about how he rebounded from that failure, and delved into his childhood.

After the Shaw Bijou closed Kwame opened 3 more restaurants, Michelin rated, Kith and Kin  and two  Philly Wing Fry.. On May 6th he won the Rising Star Chef of the Year award by the James Beard Foundation. His book, Notes from a Young Black Chef  has received lots of praise, and is available wherever books are sold.