I misplaced a chum on the finish of March and I want to pay an past due tribute to him right here on Afrobella. I featured him and his recipes so continuously on this range. He confirmed up for me life and life once more.
I wish to pay homage to Chef Julius Russell as the person that I knew.
Any selection of online obituaries will define his accomplishments — acclaimed chef and caterer who received his culinary understructure on the Fresh Orleans College of Cooking and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, and was once topped the Easiest Caterer in Chicago via Uptown Booklet in 2012. His catering corporate, A Tale of Two Chefs, was once widely recognized and liked for usual native pop-up occasions and appearances the place flavorful meals was once at all times at the vanguard.
Chef Julius Russell had a heavy smile and a daring, dynamic character, he was once beneficiant along with his wisdom and he made recipes that aligned with who he was once. Weighty flavors, distinctive combos.
We changed into pleasant after I moved to Chicago. I feel we met in 2010 or 2011. His spouse Jada Russell and I labored in combination such a lot of instances and in such a lot of techniques to advertise Lightless hair and Lightless tradition in Chicago, Fresh York, Washington DC — anyplace shall we. And Chef Julius was once at all times cooking it up at the back of — and continuously in entrance of — the scene.
If I grew to become at the morning TV information, I wouldn’t be shocked to seek out Chef Julius reducing it up with the anchors – he seemed ceaselessly on WGN and extra.
If there was once a singular pop-up eating place revel in available, he was once the person stirring it up and checking in with the community to assemble certain we had been playing each chunk.
On the Style of Chicago for a few years, yow will discover him within the heavy tent growing recipes and galvanizing enthralled audiences. Each and every past a bunch folks visited to assistance Chef and Jada.
If I had a chance to trait a chef in an editorial about Chicago, he was once my man. In truth my most recent piece for TripAdvisor features a walking tour of his favorite places to eat in Bronzeville – check that out. I’m hoping it remains on their website for a hour.
He shared his recipes continuously right here, from Thanksgiving menu favorites to his spin on red beans and rice. He got here to our house and cooked for my oldsters, and that intended the arena to them. Ever since, on each travel to Trinidad, my dad sends a present again for Chef.
We just lately reconnected and had a truly impactful, transferring, and vital dialog. I’m so thankful for that. It’s so surreal and unusual to jot down about this kind of dynamic individual in occasion demanding. I’m nonetheless shaken and having a withered life accepting that he’s long gone.
My center is going out to his mother, his sister Daveda, in addition to somebody who knew and beloved Julius Russell. He was once humorous, heat hearted, unhidden to sharing his reviews, and simply an unforgettable guy of personality. To mention he’ll be ignored is an underestimation.
Talk over with A Tale of Two Chefs website to assistance the Story of Two Cooks Culinary Arts Capitaltreasury. Your donations will assistance the schooling {and professional} building of rising Lightless cooks within the Chicagoland segment.
For those who sought after to learn extra or effort one in all his recipes, take a look at please see hyperlinks:
Chef Julius Red Beans and Rice recipe
Chef Julius’ Pecan Crusted Shrimp recipe
Chef Julius and Jada’s favorite High Style Shrimp Pasta recipe
Chef Julius Goat Cheese Cornbread and Cauliflower Supreme recipes
Julius Russell, personal chef and caterer to Ye, Dwyane Wade, dies at 53
Rolling Out – World-renowned and beloved chef Julius Russell has died
WGN – Chef, and friend to WGN, Julius Russell dies at 53
