Notes from a Young Black Chef (Adapted for Young Adults)

December 1, 2020

Gr 7 Up-Onwuachi, a former Top Chef contestant and renowned American chef who was born on Long Island, NY, bares his heart in this YA adaptation of his 2019 memoir. He details the struggles, inspirations, and choices from the past that led to the present. The work speaks with conviction, introspection, and frankness, which is an appealing combination for young adult readers. The text doesn't seek to impress the audience, but rather aims to teach and speak the author's truth. From the ordinary to the inspired, moments from Onwuachi's childhood to young adulthood play out like recorded videos, revealing the people, dishes, and conversations swirling in his memory. These memories include snapshots of his family to experiences of racial discrimination to cultural judgments in the culinary world, which are portrayed with a sincere purpose and reflect his reality as a young Black chef. His personal and professional journey showcases a heartfelt desire to create and connect. VERDICT Onwuachi candidly declares how the weight of the trials he experienced impacted his story and fortified his culinary dreams, with an intensive reflection of family roots, aspirations, and expectations.-Rachel Mulligan, Pennsylvania State Univ.

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2021
This YA adaptation of a critically acclaimed 2019 memoir by the same title--which is also being adapted for film--chronicles the perseverance and hustle of rising star chef Onwuachi. Growing up between New York City, Nigeria, and Louisiana, he was able to turn away from troublesome youthful temptation, instead embracing a love of cooking and beginning an entrepreneurial life in the kitchen. His unconventional path to the top tier of fine dining, a rare perch for an African American chef, included selling candy on the subway to save up to start his first catering company. This text covers the challenges of experiencing discrimination in an industry stacked against cultural outsiders and finding resolve in laying claim to the diasporic inheritances that make one unique. Young readers will walk away with strategies to confront, heal, and grow from failure: Beyond tantalizing stories of ingredients and cooking techniques, Onwuachi's journey points to the ambitious grit required to carve one's own path and the beloved community that must come together to see one achieve their potential. No man in the kitchen stands on his own island. "I know that if I cook this food, food that is in me already, the world will come to eat it. All I have to do is stay true to myself, to be the Kwame I am when no one is looking," he concludes. Enough sizzle, color, and character to entice young readers. (Memoir. 12-18)

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