Eric Adjepong
{{Short description|American chef}}
{{Infobox chef
|name=Eric Adjepong|image=|birth_date=|birth_place=New York City, New York, U.S.|education=Johnson & Wales University,
University of Westminster|spouse=Janell Mack (m. 2016; divorced)|children=1|known_for=Celebrity chef, television personality, author|website={{URL|chefadjepong.com}}}}
Eric Adjepong is an American chef, television personality, and author. He was a finalist on the television series Top Chef: Kentucky season 16.{{Cite web |date=2023-05-19 |title=Food Network's Chef Eric Adjepong Brings African Cuisine into the Spotlight |url=https://www.theroot.com/food-network-s-chef-eric-adjepong-brings-african-cuisin-1850455243 |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=The Root |language=en}}{{Cite magazine |last=Gomez |first=Patrick |date=October 18, 2018 |title='Top Chef' heads to Kentucky! Here's a sneak peek at season 16 of the Bravo reality series |url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/10/18/top-chef-season-16-kentucky-sneak-peek/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Anderson |first=Brett |date=2023-03-10 |title=Inside the 'Top Chef' Industrial Complex |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/09/dining/top-chef-season-20.html |access-date=2023-06-09 |issn=0362-4331}} He has appeared on multiple Food Network television shows, including as host of Alex vs. America and Wildcard Kitchen.{{Cite web |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |date=2022-09-21 |title='Alex vs America' Renewed for Season 3 at Food Network (Exclusive) |url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/alex-vs-america-season-3-renewed-food-network-1235378316/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}
Early life and education
Eric Adjepong was born and raised in the Bronx neighborhood in New York City and is of Ghanaian descent.{{Cite web |last=Weiss |first=Sabrina |date=September 23, 2022 |title=Inside Eric Adjepong's Favorite Sunday Tradition of Going to Church and Baking with His Daughter |url=https://people.com/food/inside-eric-adjepongs-favorite-sunday-tradition-of-going-to-church-and-baking-with-his-daughter/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=People |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=DeAnna |date=2023-04-13 |title=Toast & Taste: Chef Eric Adjepong Brings West Africa to the Big Apple Through Cuisine |url=https://www.ebony.com/chef-eric-adjepong-west-africa-2023/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Ebony |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-11 |title=The Dish: Eric Adjepong talks bringing international flavors to American audiences |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/parenting/the-dish-eric-adjepong-talks-bringing-international-flavors-to-american-audiences/vp-AA18vfmJ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=MSN |language=en-US}} He was the first member of his family to be born outside of Ghana, his parents immigrated to the United States in the 1980s.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-10 |title=The Untold Truth Of Chef Eric Adjepong |url=https://www.mashed.com/434411/the-untold-truth-of-chef-eric-adjepong/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Mashed |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=September 24, 2020 |title=My Story: Eric Adjepong |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/washington/news/2020/09/25/my-story-eric-adjepong.html |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Washington Business Journal |quote=first person in my immediate family to be born outside of Ghana. My parents arrived in New York City in the late 1980s}}
He has a degree in culinary arts and nutrition from Johnson & Wales University, and a master’s of public health degree in international public health nutrition from the University of Westminster.{{Cite web |title=Episode 54: Eat with an Open Mind with Eric Adjepong |url=https://www.elliekrieger.com/podcast/episode-54-eric-adjepong/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Ellie Krieger |language=en-US}}
Adjepong married Janell Mack in 2016, and together they have a daughter.{{Cite web |date=2020-10-26 |title=Bridal Bliss: Eric And Janell's Philly Wedding Style Deserves Applause |url=https://www.essence.com/love/weddings/bridal-bliss-eric-janell-philadelphia-wedding-photo/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Essence |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-04-16 |title=Eric Adjepong Knew His Wife Janell Mack Was The One While Watching a Movie |url=https://www.distractify.com/p/eric-adjepong-wife |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Distractify |language=en-US}} The couple divorced.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}
Career
Adjepong's culinary interest are in the American South, West African, Caribbean, and South American cuisines.{{Cite news |last=Judkis |first=Maura |date=2021-10-28 |title=The 'Top Chef' judges never ate Eric Adjepong's finale meal. So he made it for us instead. |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2019/03/26/the-top-chef-judges-didnt-eat-eric-adjepongs-finale-meal-this-is-what-it-tastes-like/ |access-date=2023-06-09 |issn=0190-8286}} He co-owns with his ex-wife Janell, "Pinch and Plate" in Washington, D.C., a catering company which also hosts pop-up meals.
In 2018, Adjepong made it to the Top Chef: Kentucky finale, where he competed against two other chefs: Kelsey Barnard Clark of Alabama, and Sara Bradley of Kentucky. He ambitiously announced his meal for the series finale would, “tell the story of the transatlantic slave trade and how those flavors migrated to the South”, which highlighted both underrepresented cuisine and history.{{Cite news |last=Wilson |first=Korsha |date=2019-05-17 |title=A Chef Tells the Story of the Slave Trade Through Dinner |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/17/dining/top-chef-eric-adjepong-west-african-food.html |access-date=2023-06-09 |issn=0362-4331}}
After becoming a finalist on season 16 of Top Chef: Kentucky, Adjepong competed on season 17 of Top Chef: All-Stars L.A.{{Cite web |date=2020-05-28 |title=Chef Eric Adjepong brought a powerful conversation to Top Chef |url=https://foodsided.com/2020/05/28/chef-eric-adjepong-powerful-conversation-top-chef/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=FoodSided |language=en-US}} and several other Food Network shows, like Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions. He has been a food competition judge on the television series, the Great Soul Food Cook-Off, Supermarket Stakeout, Guy's Grocery Games, Beat Bobby Flay, and Chopped.
In 2020, he had plans to open a counter service restaurant called "On the Double" in the Union Market food hall,{{Cite web |last=Chapin |first=Adele |date=2020-03-05 |title='Top Chef' Star Eric Adjepong's First Public Restaurant Will Be a Fry Bread Counter |url=https://dc.eater.com/2020/3/5/21164929/eric-adjepong-restaurant-opening-on-the-double-caribbean-stall-union-market-food-hall-dc-roti |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Eater DC |language=en}} however it was greatly delayed.{{Cite web |last=Medora |first=Sabrina |date=June 11, 2020 |title=Eric Adjepong is Staying Optimistic Amid COVID Delays to Open His First Restaurant |url=https://plateonline.com/chefs-and-restaurants/restaurants/eric-adjepong-staying-optimistic-amid-covid-delays-open-his-first |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=Plate |language=en}}
Since January 2022, Adjepong is the host of Alex vs. America, a Food Network show on its third season starring chef Alex Guarnaschelli competing against a series of guest chefs with a focus on a single culinary genre.{{Cite web |date=2024-03-15 |title=Eric Adjepong Is Building Up His Own Poker Skills Hosting ‘Wildcard Kitchen’ [Interview] |url=https://collider.com/eric-adjepong-wildcard-kitchen/ |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=Collider |language=en}}
In March 2025, Adjepong released his cookbook, Ghana to the World: Recipes and Stories That Look Forward While Honoring the Past, co-authored with food writer Korsha Wilson.{{Cite web |date=April 11, 2025 |title=Chef Eric Adjepong mines his Ghanaian roots for new cookbook 'Ghana to the World' |url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2025/04/11/ghana-to-the-world |access-date=2025-04-11 |website=Here and Now, WBUR |language=en}} The book features 100 recipes that blend traditional Ghanaian dishes with modern culinary techniques, reflecting his heritage and personal journey as a first-generation Ghanaian-American.
Publications
- {{Cite book |last=Adjepong |first=Eric |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KEalEAAAQBAJ |title=Sankofa: A Culinary Story of Resilience and Belonging |publisher=Penguin |others=Lala Watkins (illustrator) |year=2023 |isbn=9780593661727}}
- {{Cite book |last=Adjepong |first=Eric |title=Ghana to the World: Recipes and Stories That Look Forward While Honoring the Past |last2=Wilson |first2=Korsha |publisher=Clarkson Potter |year=2025 |isbn=978-0593234778}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|id=nm8773107}}
- Podcast: [https://www.elliekrieger.com/podcast/episode-54-eric-adjepong/ Episode 54: Eat with an Open Mind with Eric Adjepong] (April 2023)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Adjepong, Eric}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:People from the Bronx
Category:Johnson & Wales University alumni
Category:Alumni of the University of Westminster
Category:Chefs from Washington, D.C.
Category:American people of Ghanaian descent
Category:21st-century African-American people
Category:African-American television personalities
Category:American television chefs
Category:Chefs from New York City