Harlem chef to roll out feast at Carnegie Museum benefit

A James Beard-nominated chef from New York City’s Harlem neighborhood is coming to Pittsburgh to cook for the Carnegie Museum of Art’s “Feast” dinner on Friday in conjunction with the museum’s “20/20: The Studio Museum of Harlem and Carnegie Museum of Art” exhibition.

He’ll also offer a free cooking demonstration the following morning at the HomewoodBrushton YMCA.

Although not yet widely known outside New York, J.J. Johnson has begun making a name for himself. A Northeastern Pennsylvania native, he has cooked at The Cecil Steakhouse and Minton’s in Harlem. He’s now the chef resident at New York City’s Chefs Club, where he’s the featured chef through the end of this year. He also is raising money for a rice-themed restaurant he intends to open in one of New York’s outer boroughs such as Harlem, Brooklyn, Queens or the Bronx.

“They really need good food in those boroughs, and it’s emerging — people are looking for it,” he said. He envisions a place where friends and families can meet and hold parties around globally-inspired rice- and grainbased dishes. He’ll base his menu on dishes he’s experienced on trips to countries such as Israel, India, Singapore and South Africa.

“Rice is the most casual ingredient,” he said. “It’s the most common ingredient. We all eat it,” no matter what our ethnicity, background or religion, he said.

Rice also will get a nod in his menu at The Carnegie, which will include puffed grain salad with radishes, coconut and candied peanuts; sake-braised lamb shoulder; heirloom black Chinese rice with butternut squash; a dipping sauce trio or pineapple hot sauce, zatar yogurt and tamarind barbecue; and “JJ’s Famous Cotton Candy” and chocolate mousse for dessert.

The dinner will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Hall of Sculpture. DJ Nate Miller will spin 1990s hip-hop tunes at Mr. Johnson’s request, and vocalist Jacquea