“It wasn't until I came to New York and started to see the African American community, but also the Ethiopian community here, and started to eat the food, started to understand the music. I said, you know, I got to go and understand the culture. So me and my sister went.”

Swedish-American chef and restaurateur, born in Ethiopia. Samuelsson rose to prominence as the first African chef to earn a Michelin star, leading his New York restaurant, Red Rooster, to critical acclaim. His work spans fine dining, food writing, and advocacy for culinary diversity, blending global flavors with accessible, innovative techniques.