WRITTEN BY CARY WONG Rice & Roots Chef JJ Johnson’s Global Journey Through Flavor I t is interesting to think about the commonalities in food globally. Whether one lives in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, or Europe, we share a tremendous amount of culinary language. Within that context, it is fascinating to get to know Chef JJ Johnson. He comes from a Caribbean background with a Puerto Rican/West Indian mother and Barbadian
grandfather. He spent a lot of time in his grandmother’s kitchen, an always vibrant, delicious, and amazing place. “She definitely injected food DNA into my soul. I believe that’s the reason I’m a chef today. [It started] early on for me cooking with my grandmother, and I always had a really great relationship with food,” he says. “I always remember [the food] putting smiles on people’s faces.” After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he went on to work in some of New York’s finest kitchens, including Centro Vinoteca, Jane, and Tribeca Grill. It was a trip to West Africa and Ghana with iconic chef/restaurateur/author/ host/singer Alexander Small that changed his view on food and life.
Chef JJ Johnson
90
91
Powered by FlippingBook