New Caribbean Restaraunt In D.C. From Kwame Onwuachi Is Opening In A Hotel Owned By America’s First Black Woman Billionaire

Award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi is paying tribute to an iconic Black scholar in his new restaurant, which will open this spring in Washington D.C. in a hotel owned by our country’s first Black woman billionaire.

Onwuachi’s Caribbean restaurant, Dogon, is inspired by Benjamin Banneker, who played a key role in budling the foundation for Washington D.C. in the 18th century, The Washington Post reported.

When Onwuachi decided to open his restaurant inside the Salamander D.C. hotel (owned by Shelia C. Johnson, America’s first Black woman billionaire), he wanted the establishment to reflect the region’s history. As Onwuachi researched the history of Washington D.C., he learned about Banneker. Onwuachi realized that Banneker used the location of the stars to map D.C.’s borders. The celebrated entrepreneur also looked into the story of Banneker’s grandfather, who is believed to be a descendant of the Dogon people from Mali and Burkina Faso.

Onwuachi is now honoring the history of D.C. and the story of his African roots as he prepares to open his restaurant, which will feature dishes inspired by Nigerian, Jamaican, Louisianian Creole and Trinidadian culture.

“My mantra is, if something has a story, it has a soul. What was there before?” Onwuachi said in an interview with The Washington Post.

The New York native previously owned the Shaw Bijou, a restaurant located in Northwest Washington. He also owned two locations of his popular cheesesteak shop, Philly Wing Fry. One of those locations operated in a Whole Foods store. The other stood as a stall in Union Market. Both locations closed in 2019.

Onwuachi was named one of Food and Wine Magazine’s best new chefs in that same year. He also published his first book, Notes From a Young Black Chef, in 2019.

Onwuachi moved back to New York during the pandemic and opened Tatiana, another award-winning Afro-Caribbean fusion restaurant. Now, he’s back in D.C. to give the district another gift.

“The D.C. community [has] always been so great to me, and being a part of that community is one of the highlights I’m looking forward to,” Onwuachi told The Post.

Dogon will feature an astronomy-themed decor in honor of Banneker, who was a renowned mathematician and astronomer. Onwuachi hasn’t released any more details about the menu. However, he said it will be inspired by the culture and history of D.C.