Chef Eric Adjepong Is Putting African Food at the Center of the Table

"In all the seasons I'd watched, there wasn't anyone doing food from the continent," he tells OkayAfrica. "And I very specifically knew that if I were to make it on, I wanted to showcase skill, but also showcase Ghanaian and West African food as much as possible."

That mission was a risk. Although we as Africans have always seen the value in our cuisine, African food at that time was nowhere near mainstream in American culture. But this mission set him apart, and with his bold flavors and skillful execution in every challenge, he cooked his way to the finale.

Now, years later, Adjepong is standing at the moment he's been dreaming of since he was a child: the opening of his first restaurant and the launch of his debut cookbook. The restaurant came first -Elmina opened this past February in Washington, D.C., while the cookbook,Ghana to the World, followed weeks later. Together, they mark personal milestones and a public test: can African cuisine find its place in the mainstream culinary world?

For Adjepong, the answer is firmly yes, especially in a city like Washington, D.C., with its diverse African population and history of African restaurants. "You can have so many French, Chinese, Indian, and Italian restaurants, and nobody bats an eye. There's one on every corner," he says. "To see that there's now a spark and a resurgence of other stories, other chefs, and other food coming into a city that's already so well represented by Africans, that's exciting."

As a first-generation Ghanaian American born and raised in New York City, Adjepong has spent his career weaving together heritage, education, and storytelling through food. That story spans continents and influences — from a childhood in the Bronx to summers in Ghana, from a degree in Culinary Arts & Nutrition at Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island to a Master of Public Health from the University of Westminster in London. His path has also included stints at Michelin-starred kitchens and multiple appearances on Top Chef, including All-Stars, where he became known for pushing West African flavors into the culinary spotlight.

Today, he's also the host of Food Network's Wildcard Kitchen and Alex vs. America, as he continues introducing new audiences to his cuisine and perspective.

With Elmina finally open and Ghana to the World now published, Adjepong's vision feels more urgent — and more expansive — than ever. Through every dish, every recipe, and every appearance, he's inviting diners and readers alike to see African food not as a niche, but as essential.

He spoke to OkayAfrica about what this moment means for him, being intentional about showcasing African food, why he chose to name his restaurant Elmina, and how he earned his family's approval for his career.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

OkayAfrica: Congratulations on your new cookbook, "Ghana to the World." Is this book Ghanaian or Ghanaian American?

Chef Eric Adjepong:It's all of it. The experience of being Ghanaian is not monolithic. There's not only one way to do it. I think there are several accounts people can have across the world — obviously, Ghana, but also so many places where Ghanaians live — that are authentic Ghanaian stories. I don't claim this to be the book that speaks for all Ghanaians, or the book that speaks for all Ghanaian Americans. It's a book that speaks for me and my experience. I was born in America and raised in Ghana. I visit home every year. That's the lens that I see myself through and the lens the world sees me through. And I'd be remiss to say I wasn't impacted by other places I've worked and lived, coming from New York. That's something I can't shy away from either. So the book is authentically all of it.

In the cookbook, I noticed how much the idea of Sankofa — "going back to go forward" — serves as a guiding principle. You also wrote a children's book of the same name. How does this concept guide your work as a chef and storyteller of Ghanaian cuisine?

With Sankofa, the ethos behind that is very much how I've viewed myself as a cook and storyteller. There's so much beautiful, rich history in Ghana and Africa that I'd be empty if I didn't talk about it. But I'd also be empty if I didn't talk about what inspires me now and where my creative mind goes. It's the embodiment of both books. In the children's book, the main character travels back to Ghana with his grandfather, looking back, but he's also in the present talking about food. And in the cookbook, you'll find traditional recipes — dishes our ancestors cooked as authentically as possible — but I'm also taking peri peri and egusi, and using them in ways that aren't traditional. I'm using them in ways that, as someone who's been in the industry for a while, I can see how these ingredients can be used to create different textures, flavors, and experiences.

Did you intentionally showcase African food when you joined Top Chef?

For sure, absolutely. They're picking 13 to 15 of the best chefs in America every season. I always admired that and looked toward that pinnacle. But I also realized that no one was doing food from the continent in all the seasons I'd watched. There might have been a few things here and there, but no one was really representing at all. And I knew that if I were to make it on, I wanted to showcase skill and Ghanaian and West African food as much as possible. So I made it a goal. If it didn't fit the challenge, I didn't cook the food from Africa. But if it were something like, 'Use your interpretation, use your dish, use your flavors,' I would automatically go to Ghanaian food."

Did you feel pressure to represent African food?

I remember one contestant telling me not to cook African food as much. But I didn't feel pressure. I felt pride. I felt very cool. Serving fufu for the first time was an incredible moment for me and the show. It's been great to see more chefs now proudly cooking the food they grew up with. I'm glad I could be part of that.

I found it interesting that you named your restaurant Elmina, which to many is known for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. Why did you name the restaurant that?

I love Elmina. It is a town in Ghana, a humble, blue-collar fisherman town. I also visit it to put my phone on 'Do Not Disturb' and relax. But more than that, Elmina means 'the mine.' It is a Portuguese name for the gold mine, for treasure. And that is what I see. Despite some complex stories from there, there is a lot of beauty. If you visit Elmina today, no one is burdened by the past. It is part of the story, but there is so much treasure, gold, and wealth in the people and what they are doing. That is what I see when I look at Africans: wealth, abundance, treasure, gold, bronze, all the different elements. Elmina, to me, is the gold mine.

How is that reflected in the restaurant?

When you walk into the space, each room in the restaurant is dedicated to something that brings wealth or a valuable resource to the country, the region, or the continent. There is a lot of intentionality behind the name, how the design fits with the name, and how we use materials like gold, bronze, wood, timber, and the colors of tobacco, cotton, and indigo. We have a sugarcane room for the rum and sugarcane that grows abundantly in Ghana. Everything is intentional. And of course, the food speaks to the richness of our incredible culinary background in Ghana. When I sat with the name, it made sense. And the more I said it, the more conviction I felt.

How did your family react to your choosing culinary arts as a career?

Cooking is a matriarchal thing in Ghanaian society. A lot of it is based in the kitchen, so you don't see a lot of men doing culinary arts. That was taboo, honestly. But I got a cool mom who saw it in me. She saw me watching cooking shows after school and encouraged me. There were uphill battles like 'You won't make money' or 'Your parents came all the way here for you to cook?' I didn't let it discourage me. At times, I was frustrated; I remember specific conversations with people who now come to the restaurant or watch the shows. I don't hold it against them, but you don't forget it.

No one sees the vision you have for yourself like you do. I use a lot of that as motivation to prove people wrong. I like being doubted; it gives me fuel. I knew where I could take myself with this career, and I'm so blessed.

Now that you've achieved so much, what do you dream of next?

I'm a simple person. I want to live comfortably. I want my daughter to be safe and have a future. But ultimately, it's about telling this story. If I can tell it from one place in D.C., New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Elmina, Ghana, and Nairobi, that would be fantastic. Or anywhere in the world. I'd love to continue sharing this food. I want to multiply but stay with the same mindset. I don't want any of this to veer me off. I've seen it happen to a lot of chefs. They let success get to them. I pray that's not my portion. I want to keep doing what I'm doing. And if nothing else changes, I'm very, very happy.

If you had to pick one dish for someone tasting Ghanaian food for the first time, what would it be?

Jollof rice is the dish everybody should try. It's a good intro to our flavors and how we think about food.

And if you wanted to surprise someone who already knows Ghanaian food, what would you serve?

One of my favorites is the sweet fried plantain with benne misso, benne seeds, and caramelized onions. It's a fun spin. It reminds you of the flavors from home, but it's also a very cool offering. I think that's a dish people would enjoy. The banana grits are unique too, and it's something a lot of people really like when I cook it at the restaurant.