Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson (“Chopped,” “Top Chef Masters”) headlined this year’s Newport Wine & Food Festival, and his Conversation event proved to be one of the big highlights of the late summer. The intimate talk took place at Rosecliff, culminating the festivities. Gathered guests were treated to a rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the most dynamic figures in global cuisine whose life and food center around themes of heritage, resilience and culinary innovation. Here are some highlights from his visit in Newport.
Born in Ethiopia in 1971 and orphaned at a young age, Samuelsson—along with his sister—was adopted and raised in Sweden.
“I grew up with very loving parents that did everything they could to get Ethiopian culture to us, and it was very hard… I’m very grateful for what they tried to do.”
He has said that his grandmother, Helga, who often cooked comforting meals from scratch, originally ignited his passion for food. He would often bike over to her house for a “second dinner,” describing the scene, “Then you enter grandma’s kitchen,” after going past his grandfather, comically yelling at the radio.
“It just smells of stuff. There’s always something: mushrooms to be cleaned, bread coming out of the oven.”
After honing his skills at the Culinary Institute in Göteborg, Samuelsson apprenticed in Austria and Switzerland, and later traveled extensively to Japan and other places, which greatly influenced his global culinary tastes. When he arrived in the United States, he landed an apprenticeship at the restaurant Aquavit in midtown Manhattan.
After joining Aquavit, the Swedish Ethiopian became the youngest chef to achieve a three-star review from “The New York Times” at just age 24. However, Samuelsson told the Newport audience his focus was on using food as a lens to explore identity, community, and cultural exploration.
Samuelsson spoke about his unlikely journey from Kassahun Tsegie, Ethiopia to Sweden to the culinary capital of New York City. He discussed how the early support from his parents helped shape his journey, alongside the discipline instilled through classical training. Along the way, Samuelsson also immersed himself in global cuisines—from modern Japanese minimalism to French haute cuisine—greatly expanding his culinary vocabulary.
“You have to be both committed to the craft, but also curious, curious about tapping your surroundings, curious about flavors. And you know, when I went to Japan, I had a chance to work in Singapore and places like that. Going to Asia really opened the door for me.”
The international chef also reflected on how the tragedy of September 11, 2011, reshaped his journey, inspiring him to seek a deeper connection between food and community. It was this turning point that led him to open Red Rooster in Harlem, an event that became a symbol of cultural pride and community engagement for Samuelsson. During his talk, he said this endeavor was an effort that reflected Harlem’s past while looking toward its future.
“I’ve been an immigrant six times, and it helps me in my restaurant search. You learn the right way to respect what was here before you, and you figure out, ‘how can I fit into this place?’ And when you build a restaurant in an anchor community, you really have to respect what was there before you.”
Samuelsson said he applied this aesthetic when he opened restaurants in Montreal as well as other global locations.
“You have to really absorb the beauty of this community, versus to tell them what it should be. ‘What was there before me, and how can we add to that?’”
Cooking fans who attended the event were treated to a sample dish, wine pairings, as well as a yummy spicy “welcome” cocktail that reflected the types of flavors and spices that complemented Samuelsson’s heritage. An added bonus: attendees also received a signed copy of his acclaimed book, “The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food.” He explained that “the rise” represents the lifting of others while honoring tradition.
“When you think about original cuisines in America, Southern food, that we often talk about as soul food, is one of the original cuisines.”
Samuelsson spoke about highlighting the contributions from the culinary “artists that did it way before you,” explaining how it inspired him to curate and tell that story. “I think it’s been such a joy to put out,” adding that “it’s opened doors.”
One of the most fascinating aspects of the talk centered around his experience of preparing a state dinner for President Barack Obama, one of the four presidents that Samuelsson has cooked for. Describing the experience of serving so many world leaders as a “unifying element,” he talked about the broader role of culinary diplomacy.
“I remember when I did the state dinner, I was really envisioning these politicians that truly don’t like each other sitting at the same table.” He talked about the act of all of these political figures sharing his “cornbread with a bit of American and Indian Chipotle” as “a good moment of humanized experience” that could bridge the political divide.
One member of the audience asked Samuelsson his thoughts on AI and food technology. The renowned chef said he wasn’t put off by technology, but also cautioned against losing sight of the human element.
“We live in a moment where AI is entering all the phases of our lives. And I think the food can be amazing with the intersection of technology.” He also said that it will “have a huge impact on food safety” and help tremendously with the ability to feed more populations.
It truly was an honor to have Samuelsson stop by the City of the Sea, and we eagerly anticipate the announcement about next year’s Wine and Food Festival for 2026.