Marcus Samuelsson

Red Rooster Harlem/Ginny's Supper Club

Marcus Samuelsson is the acclaimed chef behind many restaurants worldwide including Red Rooster Harlem, Red Rooster Shoreditch, and Marcus B&P. Samuelsson was the youngest person to ever receive a three-star review from The New York Times and has won multiple James Beard Foundation Awards including Best Chef: New York City. He was tasked with planning and executing the Obama Administration’s first State dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Samuelsson was also crowned champion of television shows Top Chef Masters and Chopped All Stars, and served as a mentor on ABC’s The Taste. Samuelsson’s TV series titled No Passport Required with VOX/Eater and PBS has been renewed for a second season, which is scheduled to air Fall 2019. He currently serves as Executive Chef-in-Residence of Buzzfeed Tasty’s newly launched talent program. A committed philanthropist, Samuelsson co-produces the annual week-long festival Harlem EatUp!, which celebrates the food, art, and culture of Harlem. Samuelsson is co-chair of the board of directors for Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP). In May 2016, he was inducted into the James Beard Foundation Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America; he is the recipient of the 2019 Vilcek Foundation Prize in Culinary Arts. He is the author of multiple books including The New York Times bestselling memoir Yes, Chef, the young adult version-- Make It Messy, Marcus Off Duty cookbook, and his latest book-- The Red Rooster Cookbook: The Story of Food and Hustle in Harlem. In addition, he is one of the founders of the website Food Republic. Recent restaurant openings include: Red Rooster Shoreditch in East London; Marcus B&P in Newark, New Jersey; and Streetbird Express at the world-famous Madison Square Garden. He announced the opening of his newest restaurant, Marcus, coming to Montreal in Spring 2019. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @MarcusCooks.

Antonio Settepani & Leah Abraham

Settepani

Antonio 'Nino' Settepani' migrated from Palermo to Williamsburg with his parents and twin brother Biagio, shortly after the official opening of the World Trade Center and the CBS sold the New York Yankees in 1973. It was not an easy transition for 13 years old Nino Settepani at the time, but despite his limited English, Nino's determination and discipline facilitated the opportunity to further his culinary interests while completing his studies at New York University.

It was while at NYU that Nino's first venture in entrepreneurship commenced. He partnered with Biagio to open their first bakery and together, the teenagers raised the money to buy the concept. Upon completing his education at NYC, Nino continued to master his expertise at the French Culinary Institute, under the leadership of giants like Jacques Pepin and Alian Sailhac and alongside students like Bobby Flay. His grand design has brought a few successful concepts, including the famed Cafe Bondi, to satisfy the vibrant. New York crave for the Italian food culture.

Now after tow decades, Nino's latest concept, 'Settepani', still continues to indulge the palettes, memories and desires of both natives and tourists alike.  He continues to guide the kitchen at Settepani Harlem with with innovative dishes rooted in the tradition.

Raymond Zamanta Mohan and Leticia "Skai" Young

LoLo's Seafood Shack

Chef Raymond Mohan and Leticia Skai Young are elated to share their passion for travel and island flavors at LoLo’s. The LoLo’s experience is inspired by the Locally Owned, Locally Operated seaside eateries; referred to as lolos, they encountered while living abroad in the British West Indies. Chef Mohan has created a variety of nostalgic offerings from island styled BBQ to coastal comfort foods of the Cape to Caribbean street eats like johnny cakes.

Born on a market street in Guyana, Chef Mohan’s culinary interest developed as a child while accompanying his mother to the market to shop for the family’s roadside stand. They sold Guyanese specialties such as mavi, sardine sandwiches, and Indian specialties. Mohan’s love of culture and food set the stage for his career once they moved to United States.  A graduate of New York Restaurant School, Chef Mohan apprenticed under renowned chefs, Wayne Nish at March Restaurant; Jean-Georges Vongerichten at Vong; and David Burke before becoming Douglas Rodriguez’ Chef de Cuisine at Patria, Aquarella in Puerto Rico; Pipa, and Chicama, a Peruvian ceviche bar.  

Leticia was born in East Harlem and is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the entrepreneurship program of the French Culinary Institute.  

LoLo’s Seafood Shack was awarded Best New Harlem Eats 2015 by the Amsterdam News and is a NY Times Critic pick featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, Eater, NY Post, and the NY Daily News amongst others.  We invite you to dive on in to our secret backyard!

Yvette Leeper-Bueno

Vinatería

Yvette Leeper-Bueno owns Vinatería, the charming and beloved Harlem neighborhood restaurant and wine bar at 2211 Frederick Douglass Blvd. A lifelong New Yorker, Yvette maintains longstanding roots in Harlem- from her parents first meeting on 122nd Street in the fifties, to the renovated townhouse on 112th St. she has shared with her husband and sons for 12 years. 

Before opening Vinatería in early 2013, Yvette was already an entrepreneur, opening her own clothing design/manufacturing business and children’s clothing boutique, Leeper Kids. Eventually her entrepreneurial spirit, love for good food and fashion, and devotion to the Harlem community led her to open Vinatería on its up-and-coming strip of Frederick Douglass Blvd. Vinatería was the first restaurant of its kind in this neighborhood, fostering a spirit of inclusivity and offering an accessible but extensive wine program with rare finds, a thoughtful menu of Spanish and Italian-influenced seasonal dishes, a convivial atmosphere and fresh, contemporary design.

Almost three years later, the neighborhood has seen a resurgence that some have compared to a second Harlem Renaissance, and Vinatería remains a pioneer in this transformation. From subtle details like the herbs lining the windowsills, to the art selected for the walls, Yvette’s gift for all things aesthetic and her attention to detail is clearly manifested throughout the space. 

Last year, Vinatería was named by the Financial Times as one of the five best Italian restaurants in New York City. Vinatería has also been featured in the New York Times for its unique design and décor.

Aliyyah Baylor

Make My Cake

Aliyyah Baylor is a renowned Chief Baking Officer (CBO) of Make My Cake Bakery and Cafe. She is a third-generation baker who learned by watching her mother and grandmother cook. Aliyyah was born and raised in Harlem, NY and attended North Caroline A&T University where she received a Bachelor’s in Food Science. Some of her hobbies include traveling with her Kids, watching Football with friends and family, and of course baking.

From Harlem to Hollywood, MAKE MY CAKE®, a third generation-owned bakery beloved by A-List celebrities, local tastemakers and globe-trotters in search of that certain sweet something, serves up decadent southern-style recipes prepared by using centuries old secrets of heritage baking, inviting flavors and a generous dash of love.

Heralded by celebrated culinary countess and co-owner, Aliyyah Baylor, a Food Network favorite who has been featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay, the brands’ two retail locations in Harlem have caught the eye of the mainstream media, as well. According to Florence Fabricant, a venerated food writer for the New York Times, the popular Red Velvet Cake baked at MAKE MY CAKE®, is a “Dark red two-layer cake with decided chocolate overtones and a straightforward cream cheese icing, perhaps a classic.” In addition to the New York Times, MAKE MY CAKE® has been featured in the New York Daily News, New York Post, Washington Post, New York Times Magazine, and Daily Candy and on local television stations.

Aliyyah credits her mother, Joann Baylor and her maternal grandmother, a southern matriarch lovingly known as “Ma Smith”, whose roots stretch from Alabama and Mississippi to New York for training her in the craft, fostering her entrepreneurial spirit and respect for community. MAKE MY CAKE®, which humbly began with Ma Smith selling baked goods from her kitchen in the 1940’s to friends and neighbors who wanted a special cake and dessert to commemorate their special occasions now serves bus-loads of discerning customers a day and boasts a celebrity clientele that includes comedic mavens, Tina Fey and Whoopi Goldberg, the casts of the soon to be released film, ADMISSION, blockbuster shows 30 Rock and Law & Order, as well as, Alicia Keys and power couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé.

Stop by one of the two MAKE MY CAKE®, Harlem-based retail locations or visit makemycake.com today and discover for yourself the home-baked taste that keeps people of all walks of life coming back from more. It’s sure to be love at first bite.