Top Chef Tristen Epps-Long and Classically Black Celebrate Black Artistry

Celebrating Black Artistry and Culture

• 🎨 Classically Black, a foundation supporting Black artists, is hosting a special dinner to celebrate this year's artist residency recipients.
• 🏆 The event features a collaboration with Top Chef winner Tristen Epps-Long, showcasing culturally influenced cuisine alongside visual art.
• 🗓️ The dinner aims to support the foundation's work throughout the year.

Culinary Journeys and Influences

• 🌟 Ashley James, founder of Classically Black, transitioned from studying philosophy and social justice to becoming a Michelin-trained chef, inspired by her grandparents' cooking.
• 🇫🇷 She highlights the significance of the Michelin Guide and her experience working in a two Michelin-starred restaurant in London.
• 🍽️ James emphasizes the many unseen roles in the restaurant industry beyond the head chef, including consulting and front-of-house operations, drawing from her 15 years in kitchens and years in front-of-house.
• 🏠 Chef Tristen Epps-Long shares how his military upbringing and Trinidadian heritage influenced his cooking, with Sunday dinners serving as a way to connect with family and culture.

The Artistry of Food

• 💡 Both James and Epps-Long discuss the renaissance in the food industry, viewing food not just as fuel but as something that sustains, makes people feel seen, and connects them to their stories.
• 🌍 Epps-Long notes the growing appreciation for Afro-Caribbean food, recognizing its roots in American cuisine and its ability to make people feel seen regardless of their background.
• 🚀 He started his culinary career at McDonald's, learning valuable lessons in work ethic and speed, which contributed to his success on Top Chef.
• 🤯 Epps-Long describes the intense pressure of Top Chef, where contestants must perform at their highest level, drawing on their entire life's experience.

Classically Black Arts Foundation and Residency

• 🤝 Ashley James founded Classically Black to provide a platform for classically trained Black artists, from chefs to opera singers, in intimate settings.
• 🌟 The foundation aims to pay it forward by showcasing and supporting emerging Black talent.
• 🍰 The dinner features dishes like a parsnip cake made in the style of carrot cake with coconut and local apple, and a lobster dish in an indole sauce (an African peanut and greens sauce), blending traditional techniques with Afro-Caribbean influences.
• 📩 Individuals can apply for the artist residency through the Classically Black Arts Foundation website, with a deadline of February 15th. Applicants must be African-American or of Black descent, visual artists, and based in Houston. The residency has space for up to five artists.
• 🎟️ A few seats are still available for the dinner event.