Meet the James Beard House Fellows!
Nicole Merino
May Beard House Fellow
Our inaugural James Beard House Fellow, Nicole Merino, grew up in a restaurant family, watching her uncle prepare dishes and running the line. Nicole quickly fell in love with cooking, whipping up dinners at home and pursuing her passion first at the Food and Finance High School in New York City, and then at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Nicole has held internships and positions at Foragers Table, ABC Cocina, and the Food Network.
Read on for more about Nicole’s food favorites and pantry must-haves:
James Beard Foundation: Do you have a signature dish?
Nicole Merino: Rib-eye steak with roasted garlic chimichurri.
JBF: What is your earliest food memory?
NM: Baking and frosting my cousin's birthday cake with my aunt when I was either five or six.
JBF: What is an item you think everyone should have in their pantry?
NM: Flaky Maldon salt.
JBF: What's a culinary destination you hope to go to one day?
NM: Peru.
JBF: What is your favorite current food trend?
NM: Cheesy Korean hot dogs!
Mimi Chen
June Beard House Fellow
An avid fan of cooking shows, Mimi Chen took the competitive cooking plunge in 2015, entering the C-CAP (Careers through Culinary Arts Program) Competition for Scholarships and winning a full scholarship to the International Culinary Center (ICC). After impressing one of the judges at the competition, Mimi also received a paid internship at Café Boulud, and after graduating from the ICC, she was offered a full-time position at Restaurant DANIEL. Mimi continued to participate in a number of high-end competitions, including staging with Team USA at the 2017 Bocuse d’Or World Competition—they ultimately took home the gold, a first for the U.S. Encouraged by chef Daniel Boulud, Mimi moved to San Francisco to train under Matthew Kirkley at his Michelin three-starred restaurant Coi. At just 20 years old, Mimi represented Team USA alongside chef Kirkley in the 2019 Bocuse d’Or.
Read on to learn more about Mimi’s favorite foods and her number one condiment that she puts on everything:
James Beard Foundation: Do you have a signature dish?
Mimi Chen: My family has been enjoying my creamy mushrooms and leek dish.
JBF: What is your earliest food memory?
MC: I’ve been eating hot and sour soup since I was a kid. It’s my number one food and I would choose it over anything.
JBF: What is an item you think everyone should have in their pantry?
MC: Hot sauce! I love adding hot sauce and vinegar to almost everything.
JBF: What is one culinary destination you hope to go to one day?
MC: I would love to travel to Asia one day and eat everything there.
JBF: What is your favorite or least favorite current food trend?
MC: I love bubble tea and hot pot the most right now!
Theodore Coleman
July Beard House Fellow
After graduating from Food and Finance High School in 2010, Theodore attended college to study film with the hopes of producing food documentaries. As a way to support his son, he began working at Shake Shack as a grill trainer and oversaw the opening of three locations. Looking to explore the various restaurants under the Union Square Hospitality Group umbrella, Theodore found a job at North End Grill under chef Floyd Cardoz as a restaurant receiver. Theodore climbed the ranks to lead line cook while also gaining experience in sourcing fresh ingredients and tending to the restaurant's rooftop garden. He has since gone on to work at Marta, Marlow & Sons, Bombay Bread Bar, and most recently, was head chef at Good Thanks Cafe before being laid off due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Read on to learn more about Theodore’s favorite ingredients and cooking aspirations.
James Beard Foundation: Do you have a signature dish?
Theodore Coleman: Right now, I’m more focused on learning as much as I can skills-wise; I’ve got time to develop my signature style. But my jackfruit curry and sakura cheesecake are pretty popular right now. I [also] make a pretty good shio koji chili chicken sandwich.
JBF: What is your earliest food memory?
TC: Watching Emeril Live with my mom. I would take my older sister’s Easy Bake Oven and perform for my action figures.
JBF: What is an item you think everyone should have in their pantry?
TC: I'm a collector of different salt varieties. But if we’re talking favorite ingredient, it’s definitely black garlic. I use it in chocolate and in my savory dishes whenever I can.
JBF: What is one culinary destination you hope to go to one day?
TC: I'd love to visit Japan. I had the pleasure of cooking for Nancy Singleton Hachisu at Marlow & Sons one summer with chef Ken Wiss. That’s where I learned a lot of traditional techniques [that] I implement in my cooking to this day. [Plus], the legend of Yasuke the Black samurai is the inspiration for my next pop-up series.
JBF: What is your favorite or least favorite current food trend?
TC: I’ve got my eye on cannabis-infused fine dining. I'd like to get a shot at changing the stigma [of] cannabis and Black men by adding a level of refinement and visibility. I don’t see enough men that look like me getting a seat at the table. It’s more about purpose than profit to me.
Sofia Mendoza
August Beard House Fellow
Our newest Fellow is Sofia Mendoza. Sofia’s interest in food started at an early age, thanks to her mother who would show her love by cooking up Mexican delicacies including chilaquiles, mole, and chiles rellenos. After pursuing a culinary degree at Monroe College and working in various award-winning restaurants in New York, including The Modern and Restaurant Daniel, Sofia found her true passion in hospitality. Working at Eleven Madison Park as an HR manager and guest relations specialist, she helped to cultivate guest experiences while reinforcing the strength of her team. After working with The Dinex Group, the restaurant group of chef Daniel Boulud, Sofia joined the human resources team at Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, where she is focusing on building company culture and DEI initiatives. But as the COVID-19 pandemic began to impact the industry, and in particular the Latino community, Sofia began to think about how to make the Michelin experience accessible for all. With the dreams of opening up a Mexican cafe, Sofia hopes to create a space where people can visit for a taste of home.
Read on to learn more about Sofia’s favorite ingredients and her favorite (but semi-controversial) food combination.
James Beard Foundation: Do you have a signature dish?
Sofia Mendoza: I do not have a signature dish but my family and friends enjoy when I cook Mexican food for them.
JBF: What is your earliest food memory?
SM: I was six when I learned it is taboo to eat pineapple on pizza. I grew up eating it all the time and was baffled when I heard the news that most people do not like that combo. I think it is heaven.
JBF: What is an item you think everyone should have in their pantry?
SM: Corn flour! Tortillas are super easy to make and it is a pantry item that is underused in the arts.
JBF: What is one culinary destination you hope to go to one day?
SM: Thailand. I would love to explore their cuisine more and eat my heart away at the night markets and food halls.
JBF: What is your favorite or least favorite current food trend?
SM: Using chickpeas for everything. I think chickpeas are so underrated and I am happy they finally get their time to shine.
Click here to learn more about the James Beard House Fellows program, presented by Capital One.