Celeb Chef Marcus Samuelsson set for March 24

By Steve Graham

You have to go to Harlem to eat Marcus Samuelsson’s food. But you can watch him talk about his exploits from your living room.

The celebrity chef, author and TV personality is one of six speakers during EatDenver’s sixth annual ED Talks on Wednesday, March 24.

The series of short presentations about food are inspired by the famous TED Talk format. They will be online and open to the public for the first time.

Samuelsson is a renowned chef who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden. He is head chef of Red Rooster in Harlem, New York, and he is the author of several cookbooks and “Yes Chef,” a James Beard Award-winning memoir.

He will talk about celebrating and highlighting black cooking and black chefs, which is also the subject of his new book, “The Rise.”

U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper, founder of Wynkoop Brewing Company, will open the talks by offering his perspective on the restaurant industry and the current economic recovery. Having just voted for a large relief package, he can address the impact on the restaurant business.

Eve Turow-Paul will talk about her new book “Hungry: Avocado Toast, Instagram Influencers, and Our Search for Connection and Meaning.” She is the founder and director of the Food for Climate League, and a food culture writer and expert. She is very interested in the unique relationships of younger generations to food.

Mariah Kunkel will discuss using education and inclusivity in her work to support fellow Pacific Islanders in the restaurant industry.

Niki Russ Federman, who is the fourth-generation owner of a 100-year-old New York City restaurant, will present on maintaining longevity in a fickle restaurant sector.

Finally, Patrick Mulvaney will talk about his I Got Your Back program. The organization’s mission is to reduce the stigmas around mental illness, and to address mental illness and addiction in kitchens around Sacramento. The group is locally focused, but he hopes it can serve as a model for cities and industries nationwide.

EatDenver is a non-profit collective of independently owned restaurants in the Denver area.

During the pandemic, the group has focused on keeping struggling restaurants in business. Last April, EatDenver launched the Double Down campaign, which gathered matching funds for every gift card purchased at participating restaurants.

The group also helped pass rules about expanded patios, limited third-party delivery fees and new allowances for to-go alcohol.

To register for the ED Talks program, visit EatDenver.com.