A Nouveau Renaissance: Chef JJ Talks Pivotal Career Moments and Rice Culture.
Trench Coat by VISIONS LSGS, Sweatsuit by HARLEM HABERDASHERY, Jacket by BEEYECONIC, Chef JJ's own Nikes.
Photographs by Samuel Roberts | Story by Craig Lawson
You just raised capital for eight more restaurants. What does that mean for you and other black restauranteurs?
I don't know if I would say these times are hard, just trying to stay afloat. The goal is to expand and build a strong footprint in Upper Manhattan and communities that look like Harlem. I also think that for black founders, I hope it allows them to say they can go out and raise money, which is important to change the ecosystems, how things look, not just around food, but everything. The richest families in the world were all entrepreneurs at one point, but they had somebody to go to to get money from. Young black kids, don't have anybody to go get money from, right? Their parents can't refinance their homes -- I asked my mom to do that at one point. They don't have people that can write them, you know, hundred thousand dollar checks, right? So there are reasons why you don't see black families on that list is because we don't have that ethos system to get us to those points, but we are entrepreneurs. We are people that have amazing ideas, and hopefully, people can go out and say I've seen JJ do that, and then build up the guts to go and ask people for money. Then people that typically wouldn't write a check to go, "Oh, I saw these guys write a check to JJ, let me go write a check to this founder. I think that's important for the future.
Field Trip, your fast-casual restaurant is an impressive culinary experience that got its start in Harlem. Why Harlem?
I have family in Harlem. My dad's from Harlem, and without Harlem, I wouldn't be who I am. I wanted to pay homage to the community because they've always had my back and I didn't want to leave them behind. I think it was very important that I started there. I also would know at least somebody that walks through the door, like my aunt or my cousins so I at least have somebody to cook for.
Jacket, Shirt, Pants by EDWING D’ANGELO.
What's been a transformative point or pivotal moment in your career So far? Is there anything that sticks out?
I think, definitely during the pandemic feeding people was probably one of the most pivotal points of my career. I think people got to see who I am as a person. What do I think about doing, what's important to me? Who do I want to support and what does that mean? I would say that's one of the most pivotal moments in my career. I've won different Awards, Best New Restaurant for Esquire magazine was a great pivotal moment, Forbes 30, under 30, winning a James Beard Foundation Award. At the end of the day, I think truly being able to feed folks that were in need and then people that weren't thinking about food, like doctors, nurses, and front-line workers also were just pivotal for me for who I am as a brand and what I stand for.
Is there any person or institution in particular that has been instrumental in your development as a chef? Are you self-taught? Did you go to culinary school?
Yes, I went to culinary school, which was a big point. I definitely worked in my Grandma's Kitchen, which was a big point. And people have given me a shot at different points in my career to prove myself. So opening field trip at the US Open tennis tournament with having a location? Those individuals believed in me more than I believed in myself.
With your Field Trip restaurants, you refer to rice culture? What do you mean by the slogan?
Rice is culture means we've all grown up on the rice culture, or a rice dish. We could learn about people and their culture through rice. So that's what it means, and that's what I believe in. Rice is one of the strongest ingredients to connect the world.
Listen to the full 20 minute interview below!
PHOTOGRAPHS by Samuel Roberts @samuelrobertsphotography
STYLING by Edwing D’Angelo @edwingdangelo & Louis Johnson @datstyledawglou for Haberdashery
PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT: Kwam Green @true.kwam
PRODUCTION ASSOCIATE & STORY: Craig Lawson @craigalawson
LOCATION: Edwing D’Angelo Atelier, Strivers’ Row & Lenox Ave
Trench Coat by VISIONS LSGS, Sweatsuit by HARLEM HABERDASHERY, Jacket by BEEYECONIC, Chef JJ's own Nikes.
