Marcus Samuelsson (Marcus Samuelsson Group): A Chef's Recipe for Success

Mission Critical

There are many parallels that can be drawn between running a kitchen and leading a business. Both require leadership, focus, tenacity, and, above all, passion to get you through the inevitable hills and valleys that come along the way—something that internationally-renowned chef and restaurateur Marcus Samuelsson knows a thing or two about. With restaurants around the world from Miami to Sweden to Montreal, a James Beard award, and celebrity appearances on Food Network shows (just to name a few accomplishments), success is something that Marcus has achieved throughout his illustrious career. But the journey has not been without its own hurdles along the way. While he first made a name for himself as the executive chef of Aquavit in New York in the 1990s, his story began 7,000 miles away in Ethiopia. Marcus and his sister were adopted as young children by a white family in Gothenburg, Sweden, after their biological mother passed away from tuberculosis. This fusion of cultures would later inform much of Marcus’ culinary vision and barrier-breaking career. On today’s episode, Lance is joined by Marcus to talk about the kitchen of his childhood, how being an immigrant has helped inform his perspective on food and culture, and how he built a global restaurant empire. Plus, what's it like to curate the menu for the Met Gala?