An Evening with Three Iconic Austin Chefs

Saturday, March 4, 2023
6:30 PM 9:00 PM 18:30 21:00

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An Evening with Three Iconic Austin Chefs

A Fundraiser to support the Neill-Cochran House Museum’s Reckoning with the Past: The Untold Story of Race in Austin campaign

Saturday, MARCH 4, 2023 | 6:30 PM – 9:00 PM

The Neill-Cochran House Museum hosted an exclusive and intimate evening with three transformational Black chefs who bring their heritage to their work. Chefs Tavel Bristol-Joseph (Canje), Damien Brockway (Distant Relatives), and Amanda Turner (Olamaie) shared their culinary expertise, their professional journeys, and the role that history has played in their craft. Guests dined on chef-created bites at an all-inclusive cocktail reception under the stars and enjoyed a panel discussion with the chefs.

MEET THE CHEFS:

TAVEL BRISTOL-JOSEPH
Chef Tavel Bristol-Joseph left Guyana for the United States as soon as he graduated high school. Almost 25 years later, he is turning back to his home country for inspiration as he and his partners in the Emmer & Rye Hospitality Group prepare to open Caribbean-inspired restaurant Canje this fall at 1914 E. Sixth St. in East Austin.

DAMIEN BROCKWAY
Chef and pitmaster Damien Brockway graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 2003. He has worked at nationally-recognized establishments in Boston, San Francisco, and Austin.

Damien’s culinary project, Distant Relatives, started in 2021, is inspired by the textures, flavors, heritage and narrative of the African diaspora within the United States and as such employs strong elements of Pecan and mixed hardwood smoke, heightened spice profiles, traditional preservation methods and a nose to tail, root to stem approach utilizing products from our local food system.

AMANDA TURNER
Chef Amanda Turner is the definition of a rising star. She has worked at Uchi, Odd Duck, Juniper, and since 2021, she has served as chef de cuisine at the fine dining Southern cuisine restaurant, Olamaie.

Olamaie will be the first time Chef Turner has worked in the milieu of Southern cooking, which she said she consciously avoided throughout her career because she felt like it was the stereotype that people expected from her. But now, Amanda says she wants to "really dig in and explore what that means historically, but the big picture is the South is a melting pot, and I think we have a lot of opportunities to explore the ways that immigrant cultures in general have affected Southern cuisine."

VIRGINIA CUMBERBATCH (Panel Moderator)

As a storyteller, racial justice educator and organizer, Virginia’s work sits at the intersection of community advocacy and creative activism. With a heart to elevate the voices of people of color whose stories are often siloed or ignored, she co-birthed Rosa Rebellion, "a platform for creative activism by and for women of color," - creating space for the brilliance and thought leadership of women of color in media, policy and community organizing. Beyond Rosa Rebellion, Virginia supports the development of a culture and ethos of equity for organizations, as a racial justice educator and writer, working with brands like Bumble, the World Economic Forum, lululemon and more.