Latest news with #Afro-Caribbean
Eater
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Eater
‘Top Chef' Winner Tristen Epps Takes Over Red Rooster Overtown
is an editor of Eater's South region, covering Atlanta, Nashville, Miami, New Orleans, and the Carolinas. She has been writing about the food scene in the Carolinas and Savannah for 12 years. Erin has resided in Charleston, South Carolina, for the past 20 years. Fresh off his win in the 22nd season of Top Chef, chef Tristen Epps is preparing for his next step — opening Afro-Caribbean restaurant Buboy in Houston, Texas. He's building buzz for the upcoming eatery with a pop-up tour, and one of his stops is Miami restaurant Red Rooster Overtown. Starting Friday, July 25, Epps will be back in the Red Rooster kitchen (he was previously an executive chef at the Marcus Samuelsson restaurant). Epps will serve dishes from his tenure at Red Rooster, as well as Afro-Caribbean fare that will be on the menu at Buboy. Red Rooster classics include the Rooster Royale (a whole chicken with tamarind-malta glaze), crispy green tomatoes with comeback sauce, oxtail fried rice, and tuna crudo with Cuban coffee ponzu. 'Working with Tristen has always been an absolute joy. He's a chef with deep creativity, heart, and an incredible sense of purpose. His return to Red Rooster Overtown is a full-circle moment, and I'm thrilled to collaborate with him again and feature some of his incredible new dishes from Buboy.' says chef-owner Marcus Samuelsson. When asked what to expect for the Buboy preview items, Epps says, 'My menus are always evolving, and I rarely repeat dishes. People can come each time and will have a different experience.' In an interview with Eater Houston, Epps explained that the Buboy pop-ups provide an opportunity to educate diners about the Transatlantic Slave Trade and its enduring social, cultural, and economic impacts. 'I want to make sure that this story behind this cuisine is told,' he says. 'Black food is American food. Black history is American history, and I want that to be really shown and in ways as best as I can.' While cooking for a Miami audience, Epps says he leans into Afro-Latin and Caribbean-Latin cuisine. 'I can celebrate that side of the diaspora, which includes Colombia, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and more. Miami is a rich tapestry of all of those cultures, and it makes for a beautiful celebration of cuisine.' In Houston, he leans more into West African and Asian influences, as well as heavier on meats. 'In Miami, I do more in the lighter realm with fish and seafood,' he says. Diners can find information about upcoming dinners, including dates, menus, and reservation details, online. Eater Miami All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Time Out
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The world's biggest burlesque festival is returning to Australia in 2025
Cue the glitter and glamour! Australia is setting the stage for the return of the world's largest touring burlesque festival, ready to tease and dazzle audiences across nine major Aussie cities this spring. Now in its 16th edition, The Australian Burlesque Festival promises a creative and cheeky lineup of local legends and international stars who will pull out all the stops (and tassels) in 2025. Expect saucy shows, wicked workshops and mischievous masterclasses that celebrate diversity and self-expression – all led by headliners, including one of the world's 50 top burlesque sensations, Zyra Lee Vanity and Australia's very own blonde bombshell, Lyra LaBelle. When is The Australian Burlesque Festival? Whether you're a cabaret connoisseur or dipping your toes into the strip world for the first time, The Big Tease promises a fun night out for all. In 2025, The Australian Burlesque Festival will tour nine of the country's biggest cities, including: Gold Coast, Miami Marketta – October 10 Brisbane, The Tivoli – October 11 Newcastle, Flamingos Live – October 16 Gosford, Factory Funhaus – October 17 Sydney, The Concourse – October 18 Alice Springs, Araluen Arts Centre – October 24 Darwin Entertainment Centre – October 25 Adelaide, Star Theatre – October 30 Melbourne, Memo Music Hall – November 1 and 2 Who's performing at The Australian Burlesque Festival? Headlining the festival is the dazzling, award-winning Canadian burlesque star, Zyra Lee Vanity, who's best known for fusing classic burlesque glamour with Afro-Caribbean flair. Sharing the spotlight will be Adelaide's blonde bombshell Lyra LaBelle, Melbourne's 'Grande Dame of Drag and Cabaret' Tash York, and veteran glamour queen – not to mention festival director and co-founder – Dolores Daiquiri. Supporting acts will vary in each city, so be sure to check out the lineup here. What else to expect from The Australian Burlesque Festival? In major cities, you can get your burlesque on with a range of dance workshops – from a beginner-friendly Bump n' Grind 101 to a hip-hop-infused Traplesque 101. There's also an all-levels Go Slow class and an intermediate vintage groove Three For The Show. How much are tickets to The Australian Burlesque Festival?
Time Out
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Photograph: Gift Jr Gwambe
Helmed by Rhythm Section boss Bradley Zero and producer Nathanael Williams, Jumbi is a hi-fi bar in Peckham where dancing is not just encouraged, but irresistible. Jumbi sees a steady stream of weekly events – from DJs at the weekends, to live music, open decks and quieter book clubs during the week, plus they've even turned the venue into a pop-up roller rink for certain days over the summer of 2025. Jurkish are in the kitchen, serving innovative Jamaican-Turkish fusion dishes from 12-10pm Thursdays to Saturdays, and 12-8pm on Sundays: think plantain falafel, curry goat manti dumplings, saltfish kofte and more. A one stop shop for great grub and unbeatable vibes that celebrate the Afro-Caribbean diaspora, Jumbi is a treat for all the senses - with free entry most nights (until 10pm on weekends) to boot. Order this: Jumbi's drinks list is designed 'to reflect our small island heritage with a slowly growing rum focus,' says Zero. There's a rum punch menu, a banana mai tai, and many of the rums have been selected to spotlight Black-owned brands.
Time Out
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Amex upgrades Centurion Lounge with renowned chefs and speakeasy-style bar
American Express is turning airport downtime into an actual dining event. Starting Tuesday, July 29, all 15 U.S. Centurion Lounges will debut new menus created by The Culinary Collective by The Centurion Lounge, a powerhouse lineup of James Beard Award-winning Resy chefs and a top cocktail maestro. And next year, Las Vegas travelers can look forward to an entirely new, speakeasy-style spot: Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge. The new collaboration features big names bringing bold flavors. Kwame Onwuachi—known for his electric Afro-Caribbean dishes at Tatiana (New York City) and Dōgon (Washington, D.C.)—is bringing dishes like Suya Short Ribs and a Tamarind Ice Box Cake to the table. Savannah's Mashama Bailey of The Grey adds a Southern spin with Paprika Chicken and an Espresso Crème Brûlée finished with a torch. From Israeli cuisine pioneer Mike Solomonov, the chef behind Zahav in Philly, expect punchy Middle Eastern entries like Pomegranate Glazed Salmon and Charred Broccolini with Kashkaval Cheese & Lemon. Rounding it out, Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde in Chicago will lean into fresh, bright Italian flavors with the likes of vegan Lemony Orzo with Artichokes and Dill, and a Grilled Corn and Cucumber Salad tossed with Avocado and Cilantro Salsa Verde. Drinks aren't an afterthought either. Harrison Ginsberg, the creative mind behind NYC's Overstory (ranked North America's sixth best bar for 2025 by 50 Best Bars), is curating cocktails and spirit-free sips. Expect drinks like "The Centurion," a crisp vodka-yuzu-lime spritz and "The Green Tea Tonic," a botanical mix with grapefruit and lemon. Menus will change seasonally, and about half of each lounge menu will come from this star-studded team, while the rest highlights local fare unique to each city. The big reveal doesn't stop at the food. In 2026, American Express will open Sidecar by The Centurion Lounge at Harry Reid International (LAS) in Las Vegas. Designed for travelers with tight connections, this smaller, more intimate lounge will serve curated small plates and cocktails from The Culinary Collective, all in a speakeasy-inspired space done up in desert tones, brass and stone. It'll be open to Platinum Card Members and other eligible guests within 90 minutes of their flight. With this new collaboration—along with the recent opening of its —Amex isn't just raising the bar on lounge food, it's turning airport dining into a reason to show up early.
Eater
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Charleston Chef Shuai Wang Reflects on ‘Top Chef' and ‘Picklegate'
is an editor of Eater's South region, covering Atlanta, Nashville, Miami, New Orleans, and the Carolinas. She has been writing about the food scene in the Carolinas and Savannah for 12 years. Erin has resided in Charleston, South Carolina, for the past 20 years. Chef Shuai Wang had a very busy weekend at his North Charleston restaurant King BBQ. Wang, who recently competed on Top Chef and made it to the finale, invited season 22 winner Tristen Epps to be a guest chef at the Carver Avenue barbecue spot. The first customer to queue up to try Epps's Afro-Caribbean cuisine showed up at 8 a.m., and the line went on from there until King BBQ opened at 11 a.m. Many fans waited three hours to get a taste of oxtails, pork belly, mango chow, and more. They sold out by 1 p.m. Eater caught up with Wang after the pop-up to see how life has been since the end of Top Chef season 22. Eater: Congrats on the show and the successful pop-up. What was it like meeting all those fans? Shuai Wang: Everyone's been so genuinely sweet and supportive, especially all the Charlestonians. Everyone's been saying, 'We were rooting for you the whole entire time. Regardless if you won or not, we're just so proud of you and proud of how you represented Charleston.' It's very heartwarming. I didn't realize how many kids watch Top Chef, so there are a lot of small children coming in, wanting to meet me. This one girl had lunch at King [BBQ] with her family, because she thought I would be there, but I wasn't. So she dropped by Jackrabbit [Filly], because she made me a friendship bracelet, and she wanted to give me a hug. I almost cried because it's so, so sweet. Everyone's just been amazing and supportive. So I can't say enough good things about my fans. Did you watch yourself on the show as it aired during the season? I did. I did because we don't get to see how they edit things or how we look on camera or whatever. But I watched the whole entire season, even the Picklegate incident [during episode 6, Wang accidentally throws away another contestant's pickle garnish]. But it was really fun. Hearing some of the things that the judges say about your food was crazy. Like Tom [Colicchio] talking about my grilled cabbage dish — what an honor. Speaking of judges, how did it feel to receive that sort of immediate feedback, because I don't think you get that in the restaurant, except for, like, Yelp reviews. And my wife [Corrie Wang]. You know what? It's either good or bad. I really appreciate them. Because, with the good ones, I think, 'Oh, my God. I can't believe I did that well.' And with the bad ones, I think, 'This is a great learning experience' or 'I should have done this instead of that' or like, 'If I ever make this dish again, in real life, how do I improve upon that? All the comments are very constructive. Some of them you don't get to see on camera. Tom is obviously a wealth of knowledge and super talented at so many restaurants. He's just very smart. And Kristen [Kish] has been to been in our shoes. Gail [Simmons] is a super badass and makes really amazing food — when she cooked for us at the finale, it was so, so good. All of their criticism was very constructive and a huge learning experience for me. Looking back is there anything you would have done differently? Minus the pickle incident. Minus pickles? I don't think so. I wish I wasn't so nervous in the beginning, but I couldn't help it, There's so much anxiety and nervousness. I probably would have done a little better, earlier, but that wouldn't create such good television later on. I wish I had more time to practice between Calgary and Milan, but I came back and went straight to work, so I got distracted. Other than that, I don't know. I'm not a person for regrets, because things turn out the way they're supposed to. I'm happy with everything that happened, and honestly, I had such a good time. Eater Carolinas All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
