Marcus Samuelsson is the Ethiopian-born Swedish-American chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television personality widely recognised as one of the defining American chef figures of the past two decades and one of the most celebrated African-American chef-restaurateurs in the United States. Born 25 January 1971 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Samuelsson was orphaned in early childhood and adopted by a Swedish family who raised him in Goteborg, Sweden. He trained at the Culinary Institute in Goteborg and at restaurants across Europe before joining Aquavit in New York in 1995, where he became executive chef and earned three stars from the New York Times at age 24.
Samuelsson’s 2025-2026 work centres on a major expansion of his restaurant and content portfolio. In November 2025 he announced an 18-state US expansion of his licensing and food operations, and in late 2025-early 2026 he unveiled Marcus Addis, a new flagship restaurant on the 47th floor of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia building in Addis Ababa, returning to his birthplace. He continues to operate Red Rooster Harlem (since 2010) and Hav and Mar in Manhattan alongside Streetbird and other ventures. The 22 December 2025 Forbes holiday-recipe feature, the 16 February 2026 Bobby on the Beat YouTube interview on building his restaurant empire, and his eight James Beard Awards together represent his sustained American chef profile.
TL;DR
- Ethiopian-born Swedish-American chef born 25 January 1971 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Adopted by Swedish family; raised in Goteborg, Sweden
- Trained at Aquavit New York; executive chef at age 24 with NYT three stars
- Founded Red Rooster Harlem 2010; Hav and Mar Manhattan; Streetbird
- Eight-time James Beard Award winner
- 2025-2026: 18-state US expansion; Marcus Addis Ethiopia opening
Marcus Samuelsson key facts
| Born | 25 January 1971, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| Nationality | Ethiopian-Swedish-American |
| Background | Orphaned in early childhood; adopted by Swedish family in Goteborg |
| Training | Culinary Institute Goteborg Sweden; Aquavit New York |
| Defining restaurants | Aquavit New York (executive chef from 1995); Red Rooster Harlem 2010; Hav and Mar Manhattan |
| Major awards | Eight-time James Beard Award winner; NYT three stars at Aquavit at age 24 |
| 2025-2026 highlights | 18-state US expansion November 2025; Marcus Addis Ethiopia launch |
Early life and training of Marcus Samuelsson
Samuelsson was born on 25 January 1971 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He was orphaned in early childhood after the death of his Ethiopian birth mother and was adopted by a Swedish family who raised him in Goteborg, Sweden. The Ethiopian birth heritage and the Swedish childhood gave him direct exposure to two distinct culinary traditions, and the bridge between Ethiopian, Scandinavian and subsequently American cookery has anchored his career across more than three decades.
Samuelsson attended the Culinary Institute in Goteborg, Sweden, for formal culinary training in the late 1980s. He subsequently apprenticed at restaurants across Switzerland, Austria and France through the early 1990s, gaining classical French and central-European technique at multiple Michelin-recognised restaurants. The European apprenticeship period prepared him for his New York opening at Aquavit in 1995.
In 1995 Samuelsson joined Aquavit, the Scandinavian fine-dining restaurant in New York, and at age 24 became its executive chef. The New York Times subsequently awarded Aquavit three stars under his leadership, making him at the time the youngest chef ever to receive a three-star NYT review. The Aquavit period through 1995 onwards established him at the front rank of American fine-dining chefs and prepared him for his subsequent Red Rooster Harlem opening in 2010.
Marcus Samuelsson career timeline
- 25 January 1971: Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Early 1970s: Adopted by Swedish family; raised in Goteborg, Sweden
- Late 1980s: Trains at Culinary Institute Goteborg
- Early 1990s: Apprenticeships across Switzerland, Austria, France
- 1995: Joins Aquavit New York as executive chef at age 24
- 1995: Aquavit earns NYT three stars
- 1999: James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef of the Year
- 2003: James Beard Foundation Best Chef New York City
- 2009: Cooks first state dinner of Obama administration at White House
- 2010: Wins Top Chef Masters Season 2 on Bravo
- 2010: Opens Red Rooster Harlem in New York
- 2012: Publishes Yes Chef memoir
- 2014: Opens Streetbird Rotisserie in Harlem
- 2018: Hosts No Passport Required PBS travel-and-food series
- 2020: No Passport Required wins James Beard Award
- 2022: Opens Hav and Mar in Manhattan
- 2024: Continues sustained American chef-restaurateur and television presence
- 18 November 2025: Announces 18-state US expansion of licensing and food operations
- 22 December 2025: Forbes holiday-recipe feature
- Late 2025-early 2026: Unveils Marcus Addis on 47th floor Commercial Bank of Ethiopia building
- 16 February 2026: Bobby on the Beat YouTube interview on Red Rooster empire
- 2026: Marcus Addis opening; Red Rooster, Hav and Mar continue
Marcus Samuelsson signature style: African-Scandinavian-American cuisine
Samuelsson’s central argument, developed across more than three decades from Aquavit through Red Rooster Harlem to the current Marcus Addis Ethiopia opening, is that the bridge between Ethiopian, African, Scandinavian and American culinary traditions can anchor sustained restaurant operations and chef-author work. The Aquavit menu under Samuelsson from 1995 established his approach with Scandinavian fine-dining technique, and the Red Rooster Harlem menu from 2010 onwards extended the approach into African-American Harlem cookery.
The second defining element is the multi-restaurant Harlem and Manhattan operation. Red Rooster Harlem (opened 2010), Streetbird Rotisserie Harlem (2014), Hav and Mar Manhattan (2022) and Marcus Addis Ethiopia (2025-2026) together represent one of the more substantial chef-restaurateur portfolios anchored in the African-American Harlem culinary tradition. The Marcus Addis Ethiopia opening represents a return to his Ethiopian birthplace.
The third pillar is the cookbook output and the eight James Beard Awards. Yes Chef memoir (2012), No Passport Required PBS series (James Beard Award 2020) and the eight James Beard Awards across cooking, broadcasting and authorship cement his status. Within the current American chef cohort Samuelsson sits alongside peers including Carla Hall, Stephanie Izard and Alex Guarnaschelli as one of the defining American chef-restaurateur figures of the past two decades.
Notable Marcus Samuelsson work
Several Samuelsson projects have become reference points in modern American chef-restaurant culture. Aquavit New York (executive chef from 1995, NYT three stars) was his defining first major operation. Red Rooster Harlem (opened 2010) is his Harlem flagship and one of the defining African-American Harlem restaurants of the 2010s and 2020s. Streetbird Rotisserie Harlem (2014) and Hav and Mar Manhattan (2022) extend the operation. Marcus Addis on the 47th floor Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (2025-2026) is his return to Ethiopia. The 2009 White House state dinner for the Obama administration, the 2010 Top Chef Masters win, and the eight James Beard Awards including 2020 for No Passport Required PBS are his sustained recognition.
Marcus Samuelsson awards and recognition
- 1995: Becomes executive chef Aquavit New York at age 24
- 1995: Aquavit earns NYT three stars
- 1999: James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef of the Year
- 2003: James Beard Foundation Best Chef New York City
- 2009: Cooks Obama administration first state dinner at White House
- 2010: Wins Top Chef Masters Season 2 on Bravo
- 2010: Opens Red Rooster Harlem
- 2012: Yes Chef memoir published
- 2014: Opens Streetbird Rotisserie Harlem
- 2018: Hosts No Passport Required PBS
- 2020: No Passport Required wins James Beard Award (eighth)
- 2022: Opens Hav and Mar in Manhattan
- 18 November 2025: 18-state US expansion announced
- 22 December 2025: Forbes holiday-recipe feature
- Late 2025-early 2026: Marcus Addis Ethiopia opens 47th floor Commercial Bank
- 16 February 2026: Bobby on the Beat YouTube interview on Red Rooster empire
Marcus Samuelsson impact on American chef-restaurant culture
Samuelsson’s most concrete contribution is the Aquavit New York three-star NYT period from 1995, which made him at the time the youngest chef ever to earn a three-star NYT review at age 24. The Aquavit period established him at the front rank of American fine-dining chefs and prepared him for his subsequent Harlem operations.
The second contribution is the Red Rooster Harlem opening in 2010 and the 15-plus-year Harlem run that has followed. Red Rooster has been one of the defining African-American Harlem restaurants of the 2010s and 2020s, and the multi-restaurant Harlem and Manhattan portfolio represents one of the more substantial chef-restaurateur operations anchored in the African-American Harlem culinary tradition.
The third contribution is the eight James Beard Awards and the late-2025-early-2026 Marcus Addis Ethiopia opening as a return to his birthplace. Within the current American chef cohort Samuelsson sits alongside peers including Carla Hall, Stephanie Izard and Alex Guarnaschelli as one of the defining American chef-restaurateur figures.
Marcus Samuelsson FAQ
What is Red Rooster?
Red Rooster is the Harlem restaurant Samuelsson opened in 2010, anchored in African-American Harlem cookery and the bridge between his Ethiopian, Swedish and American culinary heritages. The restaurant has been one of the defining African-American Harlem restaurants of the 2010s and 2020s, and continues operating through 2025-2026.
What is Marcus Addis?
Marcus Addis is Samuelsson’s new flagship restaurant on the 47th floor of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia building in Addis Ababa, unveiled in late 2025 and opening into 2026. The restaurant represents Samuelsson’s return to his Ethiopian birthplace, and is one of the most-watched African-American chef restaurant openings of 2025-2026.
How many James Beard Awards has Samuelsson won?
Eight, across cooking, broadcasting and authorship categories. The first was the James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef of the Year in 1999. He subsequently won Best Chef New York City in 2003, and additional awards across his career, including the No Passport Required PBS series award in 2020.
Where was Samuelsson born?
In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 25 January 1971. He was orphaned in early childhood after the death of his Ethiopian birth mother and was adopted by a Swedish family who raised him in Goteborg, Sweden. The Ethiopian birth heritage and the Swedish childhood gave him direct exposure to two distinct culinary traditions.
Did Samuelsson cook for Obama?
Yes. Samuelsson cooked the first state dinner of the Obama administration at the White House in 2009, an event held to honour the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The state-dinner role represents one of the most-recognised American chef honours of the past two decades.
What is next for Marcus Samuelsson
Marcus Addis opens in Addis Ababa Ethiopia through 2026. The 18-state US expansion of licensing and food operations continues. Red Rooster Harlem and Hav and Mar Manhattan continue. His public Instagram (@marcuscooks) is the best source for current updates.
