Chef JJ Johnson shares how his family nurtured his passion for food and why he decided to pursue culinary school. JJ talks about his time studying in Ghana and falling in love with West African cuisine. He shares his affection for rice and why you can explore most every culture through their rice dishes. JJ explains why he wants to become the Michael Jordan of the culinary world and what it means to have tenacity and dedication to a craft. JJ talks about hosting The Cookout at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival and why it’s important to hold space for black culture and cuisine at these events. He discusses his James Beard nominated Food Network video explaining the versatility of collard greens and why they don’t get the hype they deserve before revealing his favorite food spot in Harlem.

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Watch Everything You Need to Know About Collard Greens: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=375355280330206

Find episode transcripts here: https://food-network-obsessed.simplecast.com/episodes/jj-johnson-on-rice-as-the-throughline-of-our-lives

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