by Kemonta (’24)
MARCUS SAMUELSSON is a chef who owns restaurants like Red Rooster and Marcus Fish + Chop. His businesses are in places like Miami, Harlem, and the Bahamas. He is more than a chef. He also has a worldwide TV show and writes cookbooks. Marcus started as a teen working in a restaurant and then attended a culinary institute. During the pandemic, his restaurants have made 75 million dollars in revenue and have served at least 4,000 customers a week.
In fact, Marcus once prepared the state dinner for former President Barack Obama and it was very well-received. Marcus is inspired by his Ethiopian roots and tries to help the community. Marcus and his wife founded a culinary arts non-profit organization for young people. It teaches them how to become a chef and how to run a successful restaurant business.
This is the kind of work I want to do. He came to the U.S. with $300 and he’s made a name for himself and had so much amazing success. I know I could be that successful too.
References: Forbes, Marcus Samuelsson Group, CNBC