Chef Sundiata, The Renaissance Man
- T. S. Aschenge
- Author/Publisher T.S. Aschenge, affectionately known as Brotha Sundiata, happens to also be an accomplished painter; who works in oils, watercolor, and graphite for the most part. Moreover, he is a graduate of one of this nation’s top culinary universities and he has worked for over thirty-five years in the Hospitality field, becoming a rather prolific and dedicated Professional Chef / Culinary Artist. This year marks his debut as a fiction writer as he publishes his first novel set in Atlanta and titled Woodruff Park. His extraordinary vision takes the reader on a spectacular and yet common sense mystical journey through time and space.
In His Own Words:
From the upcoming book, The Culinary Brigade by Chef Sundiata
“At the age of 8 and under the determined tutelage of my father, I became the last in my family to be fortunate enough to begin an exciting now 38 year old career as a culinary apprentice; Papa was a well known and rather talented Chef of Kosher cuisine in Long Island, New York, where I was raised. My culinary blessings were to continue after I graduated from one of the nation’s finest culinary schools – Johnson and Wales University – and during that very same year of graduation (1990) I was blessed again to spend quite a unique summer stint learning much about wine with master sommelier Kevin Zraly at Windows on the World Wine School which was then housed in the former World Trade Center restaurant in New York City. Throughout my life I have been fortunate to have amassed a rather prolific and dutiful career as a culinary professional. While I am still a rather young man, my skills, knowledge, and proficiency have been studiously horned after over thirty-eight years of dedicated working experience; gleamed from over 120 full, part-time, various on-call assignments; working as a Chef Tournant or Roundsman (an all around brigade cook), including work as a Banquet Chef, Garde Manger, and Assistant Pastry Chef, I have held positions as an Executive Working Restaurant Chef and ultimately began my own Personal Chef business as well; serving both high profile executive and celebrity clients throughout the Atlanta Metro Area. Later in my career, I would venture into the Front of the House and enjoy a long simultaneous career as a waiter. I became a polished rather successful server if I may say so myself. I learn all that was available for me to learn, from Al-A Carte to Banquets, from Family Style to Fine Dining, in every kind of setting, performing every kind of service, from family owned to hotel restaurants, in Westins, Sheratons, Marriott’s and others, to Fine Dining Restaurants like Ruth Chris Steakhouse. I would also become a houseman and then enjoy yet another simultaneous career as a part-time bartender as well. I have always been a dedicated working professional and an ardent lover of food and wine, the business of food service itself, and the proper science of successful customer care as well. However, first and foremost I am a culinary artist and a true Brigade Chef!”
This blog is for those of you who have a myriad of questions about food and wine. Lets talk about this world that we all just love so much!
Chef Sundiata
“At the age of 8 and under the determined tutelage of my father, I became the last in my family to be fortunate enough to begin an exciting now 38 year old career as a culinary apprentice; Papa was a well known and rather talented Chef of Kosher cuisine in Long Island, New York, where I was raised. My culinary blessings were to continue after I graduated from one of the nation’s finest culinary schools – Johnson and Wales University – and during that very same year of graduation (1990) I was blessed again to spend quite a unique summer stint learning much about wine with master sommelier Kevin Zraly at Windows on the World Wine School which was then housed in the former World Trade Center restaurant in New York City. Throughout my life I have been fortunate to have amassed a rather prolific and dutiful career as a culinary professional. While I am still a rather young man, my skills, knowledge, and proficiency have been studiously horned after over thirty-eight years of dedicated working experience; gleamed from over 120 full, part-time, various on-call assignments; working as a Chef Tournant or Roundsman (an all around brigade cook), including work as a Banquet Chef, Garde Manger, and Assistant Pastry Chef, I have held positions as an Executive Working Restaurant Chef and ultimately began my own Personal Chef business as well; serving both high profile executive and celebrity clients throughout the Atlanta Metro Area. Later in my career, I would venture into the Front of the House and enjoy a long simultaneous career as a waiter. I became a polished rather successful server if I may say so myself. I learn all that was available for me to learn, from Al-A Carte to Banquets, from Family Style to Fine Dining, in every kind of setting, performing every kind of service, from family owned to hotel restaurants, in Westins, Sheratons, Marriott’s and others, to Fine Dining Restaurants like Ruth Chris Steakhouse. I would also become a houseman and then enjoy yet another simultaneous career as a part-time bartender as well. I have always been a dedicated working professional and an ardent lover of food and wine, the business of food service itself, and the proper science of successful customer care as well. However, first and foremost I am a culinary artist and a true Brigade Chef!”
This blog is for those of you who have a myriad of questions about food and wine. Lets talk about this world that we all just love so much!
Chef Sundiata
