A who’s who of the nation’s capital, was at Salamander Washington DC lately to rejoice the opening of Dōgon, the brand new restaurant by acclaimed Chef Kwame Onwuachi. Businesswoman and Salamander’s founder and CEO Sheila Johnson is credited with luring Onwuachi again to the world from New York Metropolis, to the delight of his many followers.
“From the second we launched Salamander Washington DC, I needed to carry Kwame again to our capital,” mentioned Johnson. “He’s an inspiration and a generational expertise, and we look ahead to enjoying our half in his subsequent success.”
Dōgon formally opened on Sept. 9.
After strolling by way of the Salamander Washington DC’s grand foyer, getting into the darkly adorned, low-lit Dōgon forces a shift in temper from luxurious to seductive. The entire senses are at work without delay.
Pronounced “Doh-gon,” the restaurant’s eclectic menu is created by way of an Afro-Caribbean lens and attracts from Onwuachi’s Nigerian, Jamaican, Trinidadian and Creole backgrounds.
Friends on the pre-opening occasion dined on small plate variations of charbroiled oysters made with Croatian butter, parmesan, crimson stew, wagyu quick rib slider with crimson stew jam, mad pickles, coco bread, and hoe crab, a plantain hoe cake with “Shitto No matter’ and aji verde.
A Vary of Notables Are Ecstatic About Dōgon
Mayor Muriel Bowser gave remarks on how D.C. tourism has rebounded following the pandemic. She mentioned the opening of Dōgon represents what D.C. is providing in a contemporary new approach.
“They’ve a saying once we are purchasing our vacation spot world wide. ‘You all the time should do one thing new,’” mentioned Bowser when congratulating Johnson and Onwuachi. “Individuals who come to Washington need to expertise all of D.C.”
Additionally, at Salamander DC, for the Dōgon ribbon-cutting had been NBA Washington Wizards gamers Keyshawn George, Justin Champangie, and Malcolm Brogdon. The Wizards are one of many sports activities groups Johnson co-owns as a associate in Monumental Sports activities & Leisure.
Johnson then launched Onwuachi to the group by calling him a culinary genius.
“I’ve by no means been so excited a few expertise like this,” Johnson mentioned.
Acknowledging Johnson’s remarks, Onwuachi thanked the enterprise mogul for her assist.
“You believed in me. You’ve seen a number of the craziest concepts I’ve had, and also you allow them to play out. Now, they’re iconic culinary occasions,” Onwuachi mentioned.
Peer Recognition from Fellow Cooks
Different well-known cooks had been at Salamander Washington DC to assist this milestone in Onwuachi’s profession. It was a second for cooks to honor fellow cooks.
“One of many issues that I like about D.C. is that cooks assist one another,” mentioned Carla Corridor, chef, writer, and media persona. “A gaggle of Black cooks and different younger cooks have all proven up for Kwame.”
Alexander Smalls went from a music profession in opera to changing into a James Beard Award-winning chef, writer, and restaurateur in New York Metropolis. He concurs with Corridor about Black cooks supporting one another.
“He’s an unique and is driving the culinary expression of the African diaspora in a really distinctive and necessary approach,” Smalls mentioned. “Our legacy is late in celebrating who we’re by way of culinary arts.
How It Started for Onwuachi
Onwuachi grew up in New York. As a toddler, he spent summers in D.C. along with his grandfather, a professor of Pan-African research at Howard College.
His first restaurant opening within the District was “Kith and Kin.” Sadly, like others, that restaurant was a sufferer of the pandemic. Then Onwuachi, a James Beard Basis’s “Rising Star Chef of the Yr,” returned to New York Metropolis to open Tatiana, a restaurant named after his sister.
Coming to Salamander continues Onwuachi’s enterprise relationship with Johnson for imagining particular culinary occasions. The pair created “The Household Reunion, ” a signature occasion bringing collectively high culinary professionals of colour within the nation held at Johnson’s 5-Star Salamander Middleburg resort in Virginia.
The restaurant opening is a part of an total property redesign at Salamander Washington DC. The brand new look will characteristic a brighter and extra residential really feel, with open areas for mingling with pals and quiet nooks good for smaller group exchanges.
Subsequent up for Salamander Washington DC shall be an expanded two-story spa scheduled to open this fall, together with fashionable, refreshed visitor suites designed by Thomas Pheasant. The redesign tasks are anticipated to conclude within the spring.
In her remarks, Johnson introduced that USA In the present day has named the Salamander model the Finest Luxurious Lodge Model.
