CHEF
P H OTO : W I L L B L U N T
Unlike most teenagers who flip burgers for minimum wage, Tristen Epps actually liked his part-time job at McDonald's; it allowed him to get out of the house for a while and, even better, make people happy. Raised by a single mom who traveled for her military job, he learned to feed himself early on. In 2009, he graduated from Johnson & Wales’ Charlotte campus and began a string of hotel kitchen jobs with The RitzCarlton, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, and The Greenbrier. There, he ascended from the apprentice program to tournant in 2012, working closely with certified Master Chef Richard Rosendale, who delivered rigorous, classical training. In 2014, Epps was a contestant on ABC’s The Taste, where Marcus Samuelsson became his on- and off-screen mentor. Epps was a finalist on the show but gained something arguably more prestigious than the win: the sous chef position at Samuelsson’s Red Rooster in Harlem. Samuelsson encouraged Epps to represent himself on the plate—from his Trinidadian background to his military brat travels—which gave him the confidence to open the farm-totable Cooks & Captains as executive chef in 2016. When Samuelsson needed an executive chef for Red Rooster’s Miami offshoot, Epps returned to the Marcus Samuelsson Group and moved down south in 2020. The restaurant stays true to Samuelsson’s style but is enriched by the essence of Overtown, a historically Black neighborhood, and Epps’ global vision as a chef. eppsandflows / roosterovertown Favorite kitchen tool: Grinder
Tristen Epps RED ROOSTER OVERTOWN
Tool you wish you had: ThermoMix What you eat on your nights off: I like to eat at home on my nights off—I’m barely there. I love making Trinidadian food or, honestly, a great hot dog. Favorite food resource: Anything involving preservation or pastry Place to visit for culinary travel: Southeast Asia or West Africa Advice to your younger self: Pay attention, work hard, and surround yourself with the same type of people. Most important kitchen rule: Improve everything you touch and respect each other. M IA M I 202 1
13
