How Chef Edouardo Jordan’s St. Pete Roots Gave Him a “Chitlins State of Mind”

In 2018, Chef Edouardo Jordan took home two James Beard Awards, including Best New Restaurant for his Seattle eatery JuneBaby. He was the first African-American ever to win in that category. But before Edouardo was history-making chef, the St. Petersburg native was a member of Boca Ciega High School’s class of 1998. He studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando and got his start at Mise en Place Restaurant in Tampa before moving out West. But Edouardo still has strong ties to Florida, including a virtual appearance at the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival on Saturday, May 15. This year's festival will be a hybrid event of live and online experiences. Eduardo chatted with The Zest’s host, Dalia Colón, from his new hometown of Seattle, Washington.Related episodes: Toni Tipton-Martin Celebrates African-American Chefs in ‘Jubilee’ Beer Kulture Raises the Bar for Diversity in Craft Beverage Industry Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin on Her Cookbook, ‘St. Pete Eats’