August 14, 2025
NYC’s first Black Michelin-starred chef offers some simple advice to the next generation of Black culinary leaders.
From his humble roots in Detroit to helming Michelin-starred kitchens in New York City, Charlie Mitchell remains devoted to his passion for food and fun while paving the way for the next generation of Black chefs.
Mitchell made history in 2022 as the first Black chef in New York City to lead a Michelin-starred kitchen and only the second in the nation. His leadership at Clover Hill, a contemporary American restaurant in Brooklyn Heights, earned him the prestigious honor that he proudly carries as a beacon for future Black Michelin-starred chefs.
“I didn’t know I’d be in a position to inspire,” Mitchell told Afro Tech. “But now that I am, I embrace it. I love that kids can look at someone like me and see a path in fine dining.”
Mitchell launched his culinary career at a Detroit bar many would see as modest, but one he once viewed as “fancy.” In 2016, he made his way to New York City, where he endured long hours, low pay, and missed holidays in pursuit of Michelin star status, a childhood dream he realized through a simple mantra he now shares with aspiring chefs.
“Stick to the craft always,” Mitchell said.
Driven by an unwavering focus and an early passion for cooking, Mitchell drew inspiration from his family’s culinary roots, spending hours watching Food Network and obsessing over the cooking competition show Iron Chef. By 21, he had landed his first chef role and soon set his sights on making Michelin-starred Black history.
“I learned there had never been a Black chef with three Michelin stars,” Mitchell said. “So I said, ‘Cool — let’s make that the goal.’”
Now serving as executive chef at Saga, a two-time Michelin-starred restaurant in Manhattan’s Financial District, Mitchell urges the next generation of Michelin-star hopefuls to persevere on their climb to the top, reminding them that hard work and fantastic food always pay off.
“The environment can be aggressive. It’s hierarchical,” he said. “A lot of us want to be our own boss, and we don’t respond well to being talked to a certain way. If you can push through and focus on the food — on learning the techniques — your story will come through. And people will feel it.”
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