The Diverse Culinary Family

After working for decades to bring people of color into the culinary arts, Alex Askew is transforming his culinary pedigree and expansive professional network into a social change project with a spiritual side. Mindful Eating for the Beloved Community was created by Chef Askew and a diverse group of 13 chefs, nutritionists, and food activists ready to rebuild the connections among diet, culture, faith, the environment, and community well-being, with a focus on the deep relationships among mindful eating, social justice, and sustainability. Chef Askew’s path to this work began at age 14 when he accepted an offer to work as a personal chef. He later enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, where he ran up against a cultural barrier: He and his fellow African-American students did not feel welcome in the institution. Right there, the seeds for his first collaboration were planted.

Upon graduating in 1989, Chef Askew built his career in food research, development, and consulting. He investigated and mastered different cooking styles as well as cuisines, including Cajun and Creole, holistic, Latin, and American fusion. In 1993, Chef Askew co-founded BCAGlobal to build a professional support system for young students of color and women seeking culinary and hospitality industry careers. He is a 2001 Doctorate of Foodservice recipient from the North American Foodservice Equipment Manufacturers, a Distinguished Visiting Chef for Sullivan University, the 2011 Business Leader of the Year from the Marcella Brown Foundation, and recipient of a 2012 New York Institute of Technology Global Leadership Award. Chef Askew also serves on the board of the American Culinary Federation and is a member of their newly formed Certification and Accreditation Commission.

Douglass Miller has over 30 years of industry experience in restaurants, hotels, resorts, and education. He has worked around the country, including Las Vegas; San Francisco; New York City; Hawaii; Santa Barbara; Philadelphia; and Washington, D.C.; for organizations such as Four Seasons Resorts and Hotels, Wyndham Hotel, Marriott, and several independent companies. Mr. Miller is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA); SUNY Empire State College; and University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he holds a Master’s in Hospitality Administration. Currently, he is a lecturer in food and beverage management at the Nolan School of Hotel Administration, SC Johnson College of Business. Before Cornell University, Mr. Miller was a Professor of Hospitality and Service Management at the CIA.

Mr. Miller is a Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS), Society of Wine Educators; and Certified Beer Server, Cicerone; and he has taken the Introductory Sommelier Course, Court of Master Sommeliers. He has spoken at several conferences, including Tales of the Cocktail, Craft Brewers Conference, Great American Beer Festival, and Menus of Change. Mr. Miller has also been interviewed by the Associated Press, New York Post, Wall Street Journal, and Nation’s Restaurant News, and he has had cocktails published in Liquor.com, USA Today Magazine, and AOL. He was a content provider and consultant on the CIA’s book, “Remarkable Service: A Guide to Winning and Keeping Customers for Servers, Managers, and Restaurant Owners.”

Lenise Lee-Streeter is the founder, owner, and pastry chef of LeniLen Specialties. Her inspiration and passion for baking evolved from childhood as she watched her beloved aunt, lovingly known as “Sister,” bake mouthwatering treats over the years. As a child, Chef Lee-Streeter was given an Easy-Bake Oven, which launched her journey creating delicious goodies for all to enjoy. By the time she started her family, she had already significantly honed her baking skills. Chef Lee-Streeter went on to attend the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York City, where she received her Pastry Chef Diploma. For over a decade, LeniLen Specialties has been a flourishing home-based baking business.

Njathi Kabui is an internationally celebrated organic chef, urban farmer, motivational speaker, and food activist. With a strong background in sustainability, culture, and food, Chef Kabui has appeared at a variety of festivals, summits, and conferences to address health, the environment, and the politics of food. He has worked with major universities, community groups, and individual clients in the U.S., Africa, and other parts of the world. Chef Kabui appears regularly in the media speaking out on matters of food literacy, sustainability, and food justice among African immigrants. He also periodically writes about food for various publications.

Ron Duprat is best known as one of the top competitors on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” and for his appearances on “Iron Chef America,” “Bar Rescue,” and “Beat Bobby Flay” on the Food Network, as well as many other TV shows. Huffington Post named him one of “10 Black Chefs That Are Changing the Food World.” The Root featured Chef Duprat in the article “How 12 Black Chefs Cooked Their Way to the Top of the World,” while his recipe for butternut squash and sweet potato bisque was selected as one of Oprah’s favorites in O, The Oprah Magazine. Chef Duprat has prepared amazing meals for President and Mrs. Obama, Jay-Z and Beyoncé, Usher, and many more. He has also used his cooking skills to become actively involved in fighting childhood obesity and promoting healthy eating habits for kids. Chef Duprat is the author of “My Journey of Cooking” and an expert on Afro-Caribbean cuisine.