OAKLAND (KRON) — A big celebration is underway for an Oakland chef who just won the Food Network’s show, Chopped.
He’s serving up some of his favorite recipes to thank his friends, family and the entire community for their support.
“One of the judges had said that if I was to start a restaurant and put my grandmother’s face and name on it, you’d have a line outside the door,” said Oakland-based Chef Rashad Armstead.
So that’s what Armstead did.
Cooking up chicken wings, mac and cheese and what he calls the best potato salad on the west coast.
His Oakland restaurant, Grammies, opened up just a few months ago after he was crowned winner of the show.
“That was such an emotional moment because it was like everything that all my hard work paid off,” he said. “In that moment everything that my family had sacrificed, everything that my grandmother couldn’t accomplish I just did that right there and I’m making all of them proud they are all shining down from heaven right now smiling at me.”
He said customers have been lining up to try a bite of his home cooked meals after the show aired on Tuesday
The chef started an Indie Go Go campaign.
He’s hoping to get 10,000 people to donate $100 each.
That money will help pay for the new restaurant he’s opening in Oakland called Crave in two weeks and to help pay his employees a living wage.
He says if his employees are happy, his food will be, too.
To donate to the chef’s online campaign, visit his website here for more information.
