The sweet-meets-heat pulled-pork sandwich on a griddled bun was generous with the meat and slaw I overheard a precocious preteen saying, I need two mouths for my sandwich! if a little dry. Sweet Potato Scones with Brown Sugar Icing Recipe [9] Holland has lived in Oakland, California since 2003. . Philip Surkis OfficialUSA.com Records Chef Tanya Holland plates breakfast orders at Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, February 2, 2014. In 2017, Holland was a contestant on the 15th Season of Bravo TV's series Top Chef, an American reality show where she placed 9th out of 16. Chef Tanya Holland talks with visitors at the counter in Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, February 29, 2014. The fabulous Tanya Holland - Brown Sugar Kitchen launch book signings. Creole Meatloaf Recipe Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images Rogers hadn't been at the kitchen for awhile but was working out this morning thinking of Holland's homemade pork hash and chicken and waffles. Every dinner had a themed menu - Hawaiian, Greek, Mexican, Chinese. Within the space of 18 months, it seems like Tanya Holland, the first chef to create a destination restaurant in oft-forgotten West Oakland, is everywhere, reinventing soul food. For the Pineapple Glaze: Combine the pineapple juice and brown sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat and cook until thick and reduced by about one-third, about 15 minutes. Brown Sugar Kitchen Celebrates Its Fifth Anniversary - A Neighborhood Lightly oil the grill grates. Holland is an alumna of Bravo TV's Top Chef, where she competed on the 15th season. Holland is a regular guest chef on NBCs Today Show and CBSs The Talk. The baked spicy wings were also on point, with the sizzling skin bearing a crisp, dark-and-tan mottle. The latter was eliminated in a tense episode of the show after she refused to address those claims. "Brown Sugar Kitchen": Publication is scheduled for fall. This recipe is adapted from Tanya Holland's upcoming book, "Brown Sugar Kitchen: Recipes and Stories from Everyone's Favorite Soul Food Restaurant" (Chronicle Books, September 2014). tanya holland phil surkis. "Her drive is one of those natural gifts you are born with; it always impressed me because I've always thought of myself as lazy, an industrial engineer whose job is to come up with easier ways of doing things," says her father, Hollis, 70. If made ahead, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 month. The show aired from November 14 December 26, 2020. These medium-hot numbers begged for a cool dunk in the accompanying smoked blue-cheese dip. . In 2020, Holland was the host of the OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network TV show "Tanya's Kitchen Table." Holland is one of a handful of chefs who, according to the New York Times, represents a new generation of black chefs and cookbook authors reinventing, reinterpreting and reinvigorating whats thought of as African American food.. Soulful Cornmeal Crepes with Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread Recipe Visit www.brownsugarkitchen.com! Noted Oakland chef Tanya Holland has announced that she is pulling the plug on B-Side BBQ, a venture she and Phil Surkis launched in West Oakland. Customer Charles Rogers (left) talks with chef Tanya Holland (middle)at Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, February 29, 2014. Please enter a valid email and try again. She is an American professional chef, cookbook author, podcast host, and restaurateur who has an estimated net worth of $7 million. Season Two of Tanyas Table features special guests Ayesha Curry, Danny Glover, Bonnie Raitt, Phil Rosenthal, Lars Ulrich, Lizz Wright, Ericka Huggins, Jonny Moseley, and others. All Previous Gatekeepers Coverage [~ ESF ~]. B-Side BBQ is the newest venture from Tanya Holland, West Oakland chef/owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen. Per serving: 233 calories, 3 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 23 g fat (3 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 6 mg sodium, 3 g fiber. We re beyond thrilled to have Celeste create her irresistible sweet and savory magicin that space.. Season Two of Tanyas Table features special guests Ayesha Curry, Danny Glover, Bonnie Raitt, Phil Rosenthal, Lars Ulrich, Lizz Wright, Ericka Huggins, Jonny Moseley, and others. She attended the University of Virginia, where she graduated in 1987 with a BA in Russian Language and Literature, and began her restaurant career in New York City as an assistant manager at Cornelia Street Caf, Caf Rakel and Nosmo King restaurants. There's a lot of history in the community so it's exciting to read that someone is documenting it. She is known as an expert of soul food. "She takes what we all care about here - local, seasonal fresh California cuisine - and gives it a funk and soul twist. "There was a store in Paris that sold some American grocery items," she says, "but I couldn't find yams or cornmeal." But any grade-school gourmet can tell you that the Bay Areas most glaring culinary omission is a robust barbecue scene. This address also has Kimberly L Foreman and Tanya D Holland connected to it. It's a move from barbecue to baked goods.Noted Oakland chef Tanya Holland has announced that she is pulling the plug on B-Side BBQ, a venture she and Phil Surkis launched in West Oakland.R Whipping up Creole shrimp with cheddar grits in an eight-page spread in O magazine. The bar is inventive as well, with drinks such as the Bronze Buckeroo made from Bulleit Rye, velvet falernum, angostura bitters, lime and ginger beer. Age 55 (415) 200-6850. El diseo de Getty Images es una marca comercial de Getty Images. The couple have single-handedly brought new life to an economically downtrodden area of Oakland. Sesame seeds made their way into the Southern kitchen with the slaves who were brought here from Africa. Hollands fried chicken (and waffles, natch) anchors the menu at Brown Sugar Kitchen, and other worthy items seem to circle in its orbit. Tanya Holland and Phil Surkis attend MEALS ON WHEELS 24th Annual Star Chefs & Vintners Gala on May 15th 2011 in San Francisco, CA. She takes the same polymath approach to her smoked meats at B-Side, and the results are largely positive. Tanya Holland - Wikipedia View Philip Surkis's record in Emeryville, CA including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. She worked for a dozen New York kitchens and catering companies, including Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill, and trained at Peter Kump's New York Cooking School (now known as the Institute of Culinary Education), then La Varenne in Burgundy, France, where she studied with cheesemakers, bakers and fishmongers and learned how to make traditional sauces and cook seasonally. In 1971, her parents started the Gourmet Club, a monthly potluck party that ran for nearly two decades, with six neighborhood couples, three black and three white. Next door to B-Side is a former auto body shop that Holland and Surkis have turned into an event space called the Barn, where they recently threw a party for the restaurateurs involved in Oakland Restaurant Week. Tanyas dad attended Western New England College. Acclaimed for her inventive take on modern soul food, as well as comfort classics, Tanya Holland is the Executive Chef/Owner of the internationally renowned and beloved Brown Sugar Kitchen restaurant, in Oakland, California. Lived here in 2009. Oakland chef Tanya Holland ready for the big stage. She hosted the Food Network TV show Melting Pot Soul Kitchen from 2000-2003 (currently airing on The Cooking Channel). A line waits outside Brown Sugar Kitchen during breakfast in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, February 2, 2014. Copyright Weeklys All rights reserved. The edge also bore a nice crust and the thin pink smoke ring was pretty as a picture. Chef Tanya Holland shows Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, February 29, 2014. Noted Oakland chef Tanya Holland has announced that she is pulling the plug on B-Side BBQ, a venture she and Phil Surkis launched in West Oakland. He paired it with sparkling ros and left nothing but bones on his plate. [11][12] She had started the plans to open a San Francisco Ferry Building location of Brown Sugar Kitchen in 2017, after much planning the restaurant was opened from 2020 to 2021. Oops. The author ofThe Brown Sugar Kitchen CookbookandNew Soul Cooking,Hollandcompeted on the 15thseason ofTop Chefon Bravo, was the host and soul food expert on Food NetworksMelting Pot, she appears on the new HBO Max showSelena + Cheffeaturing Selena Gomez, and is the host of Tanyas Kitchen Table on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Place a shallow metal pan filled with water in the center of the grill and arrange the hot coals around it. Organiza, controla, distribuye y mide todo tu contenido digital. The smoked barbecue chicken at B-Side, juicy and lush and expansive with flavor, may not gain this level of cult following, but its a contender. Tanya Holland ready for big stage - PressReader She met area food editors and bloggers, was welcomed at Yountville's iconic Domaine Chandon winery, and quickly got an agent. Brooks: Rediscovering the power of art and music in a political age, Horoscopes March 4, 2023: Mykelti Williamson, stick to what matters most, Dear Abby: I love my wife but I think I better get divorced, Dear Abby: My wife said she doesn't like it, but it's part of my life, Harriette Cole: She has gone too far with the remote work option, Bobcat seen using Highway 17 wildlife crossing hours after it opens, Authorities: Man bombed PG&E transformers in South San Jose, Ask Amy: I feel guilty for not speaking up about my co-worker's activities, William backed Harry and Meghan's eviction, prefers brother never 'set foot in England again', Map in Murdaugh murder case: 5 deaths and a mysterious shooting, Ask Amy: I didn't ask for what I wanted, and I'm sad they couldn't guess, Miss Manners: I felt bad that they all skipped her baby shower -- and then I found out why, As Adderall shortage continues, DEA plans to limit some telemedicine prescriptions, House where JonBenet Ramsey was found dead listed for sale for almost $7M, Columbia University permanently drops SAT, ACT admissions requirement, The Waterbed Doctor: California retailer lays claim to retro bed with nearly 40 years of service, sales, Felonious Florida podcast: Missing teenage girl leads to several cases of child sex trafficking, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. They gathered to share experiences and meals that ranged from French, Mexican, Jewish, Indian, Pennsylvanian Dutch, Italian and Southern Cuisine. Her first book, New Soul Cooking, was published by Stuart, Tabori & Chang in 2003. (Photo By Liz Hafalia/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images), 3384 x 2400 px (28,65 x 20,32 cm) - 300 dpi - 3 MB. If made ahead, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.). "Tanya's turkey was the most beautiful I've ever seen, and it tasted amazing," Waldman says. Among the regulars at Brown Sugar Kitchen are the novelist couple Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman. Tanya appears on the HBO Max show called Selena + Chef starring Selena Gomez ( Tanya appears in episode 8). Holland was awarded The Key to the City of Oakland by Oakland Mayor Jean Quan on August 2, 2014. She went on to work as a catering office manager, an assistant sommelier for a wine importer, and a server at Mesa Grill before she committed to a career in the kitchen. [5] They gathered to share experiences and meals that ranged from French, Mexican, Jewish, Indian, Pennsylvanian Dutch, Italian and Southern cuisine.[6]. Is it a revelatory approach, changing the barbecue paradigm for years to come? Fill in the blank: The Bay Area is missing a _____ food scene. Overall, B-Side BBQ wasnt one of those rare, transformative smoked meat experiences Ive had at Double D BBQ in Grand Lake or Hill Country in Manhattan. At Mesa Grill, she was a server prior to committing herself to a career in the kitchen. After the TV show ended, California started to seem much more appealing than jumping back into the competitive New York restaurant world. Yet the Bobby Flay protg still loved her new neighborhood, a predominantly African-American working-class area that reporters often called "gritty. Her pace is warp speed, and for as much as she takes on, she's always thinking about the next thing. This is a carousel. Shrimp Creole Stuffed Cornmeal Crepes Recipe black living knowledge | Tanya Holland Tanya Holland is an African-American professional chef, cookbook author, and owner of Brown Sugar Kitchen and B-Side BBQ in Oakland, California. Customers start to line up outside of Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Calif., before opening for breakfast on Sunday, February 2, 2014. Her restaurant, Brown Sugar Kitchen has received a number of Michelin Bib Gourmand awards. Sign up with your email address to stay in touch! Events. She has covered the Olympic Games, investigated sex trafficking between Korea and San Francisco's massage parlors, and in Nepal. As he drove her to the Oakland hills to search out homes where her relatives had lived, they decided to get a bite, and she suggested barbecue. 3268 Louise St, Oakland, CA - Holland Tanya & Surkis Philip D, Phil Do not flip the ribs during cooking. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, There she is making a savory bread pudding with Al Roker on the "Today" show. She was a contestant in an American reality show called Top Chef in 2017. Phil Surkis - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages Her 2004 narrative series on a war-wounded Iraqi boy won the PEN USA Literary Award for Journalism and the Pulitzer Prize for photography. Will it keep haters from bemoaning the lack of decent local brisket and ribs? Chabon even had the party there for his latest book, Telegraph Avenue, a big-hearted portrait of intertwining black and white families in Oakland. Her gumbo is out of this world.". Since the elimination, Tanya has commented that bro culture permeated the show. Old black cowboy movies play silently on a couple of corner screens. Aprovecha la escala global, la informacin basada en datos y la red de ms de 340.000 creadores de Getty Images para crear contenido exclusivamente para tu marca. Jerk Baby Back Ribs with Pineapple Salsa But Holland's career appears to be on the fast track. From left to right: Aisha Tyler, Tanya Holland, Julie Chen, A few items would have fared better with a shorter cook. Roasted Beet Soup Recipe The Best Places to Eat Filipino Food in Every State, 28 Cookbooks and Food Books to Add to Your Shelf This Fall, Food & Wine Best New Chefs 2022: Warda Bouguettaya, APT 4B's Dayana Joseph Brings an Afro-Caribbean Vinyl Bar to Atlanta, Nicole A. Taylor's 'Watermelon & Red Birds' Is an Ode to Black Joy, 'Top Chef's' Tanya Holland on That Tense Judges Table, 14 Food Pros Share Their Essential Holiday Dishes, 'Top Chef' Houston: Here Are All the Chefs Competing This Season, Food & Wine Magazine Names Best New Chefs in America 2008. The residence listed at 3268 Louise St, Oakland is owned by Philip Surkis Main Address Details. The menu includes pulled pork, spicy ribs, savory sides . Ill certainly be there. Acclaimed for her inventive take on modern soul food, as well as comfort classics, Tanya Holland is the Executive Chef/Owner of the internationally renowned and beloved Brown Sugar Kitchen restaurant, in Oakland, California. Place the ribs, meat side up, on the grate, turn off the burner directly under the ribs, and reduce the other burners to medium heat. Novella Carpenter is the author of Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer. No, but B-Side BBQ is pretty darn good. For the Pineapple Salsa: Combine the pineapple, onion, jalapenos, bell pepper, cilantro, oil and lime juice in a bowl. She is Pittsford-Mendon High School graduate class of 1983. [2] She opened her first restaurant, Brown Sugar Kitchen in West Oakland in 2008, receiving positive reviews for signature dishes such as chicken and waffles, oyster poboys, and BBQ shrimp & grits. She received positive reviews as the Executive Chef of The Delux Caf in Boston and The Victory Kitchen in Brooklyn. Select Material: 4x6 $15.00 . Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Her previous roles at the Mercury News include Lowell Thomas award-winning editor of the Travel section, Alameda County bureau chief and Getting Ahead editor. Age 36 (415) 336-0167. Sheryl Underwood, Sharon Osbourne. Tanya Holland's Thanksgiving Menu - msn.com Tanya Holland Le Theatre, a former French restaurant in Berkeley, hired her to update its traditional menu with a North African twist. In 2002, she returned to the front of the house as Creative Director at Le Thtre in Berkeley, CA. There's one phone number listed for Philip: (415) 200-6850 (O1 Communications, Inc). She began her restaurant career in New York City as an assistant manager at Cornelia Street Caf, Caf Rakel, and Nosmo King restaurants. Holland is an alumna of Bravo TV's Top Chef, where she competed on the 15th season. "There were many immigrant families there, and they informed us on how they ate," Holland says. If made ahead, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. At Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Tanya Hollands Creole shrimp and grits seems to be infused with concentric layers of flavor. While in France, she trained with Michel Sarran at Le Mas Du Langoustier on the island of Porquerolles and with Jean-Michel Bouvier at Restaurant LEssential in Chambry.[7]. She stays optimistic by meditating on Sundays at 6 a.m., when she gets to Brown Sugar Kitchen to prepare the batters in her own ritual, and other times by pounding it out at the boxing gym. Ashley Madison ReviewsOur Personal Take Ashley Madison ReviewsOur Personal Take on AshleyMadison.Com (2023). She is an in-demand public speaker and lecturer who frequently leads the conversation on inclusion and equity in the hospitality industry. "We had a good run lasting over three years," she wrote on the restaurant's website. For her bronzed, gorgeously lacquered turkey, she chose a free-range bird from a local farmer and brined it overnight, then glazed it with bourbon and brown sugar, a nod to the importance of sugar plantations in African- and Caribbean-American history. If made ahead, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 8 hours. "But her mother is from Louisiana and she is an excellent cook. Add coals as needed to maintain medium heat. Baked mac n cheese, made with cheddar and a rich bchamel and bread-crumb topping, hewed near to classic. [22] Guests on Season One of the podcast have included Samin Nosrat, Questlove, Alice Waters, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. Looking to taste Tanya's Food at Brown Sugar Kitchen? Holland has no barbecue-specific stints on her rsum, and for all her culinary globetrotting, she has never been in smoking distance of Kansas City, Memphis, or the hill country of Texas. He keeps all their ventures, and 40 employees, running. Holland was elected co-president of the San Francisco chapter of Les Dames dEscoffier in 2013. The Women's Initiative for Self-Employment named Holland Woman Entrepreneur of Year in October 2013. Meredith May is a feature writer at The San Francisco Chronicle, where she started in 1999. They have been together ever since, and now Surkis' business card says "waffle hustler/rib wrangler." He keeps all their ventures, and 40 employees, running. all rights reserved | tanya holland | 2017 | site by karenmariechappell.com. Tanya Holland Recipes, Bio, Wiki, Age, Husband, Top Chef, And Net Worth "I love Thanksgiving," Tanya Holland says. The fabulous Tanya Holland - Brown - Books Inc. in Alameda | Facebook People were more open to me.". Glazing a Thanksgiving turkey with bourbon for Food & Wine. "Doesn't Queen Latifah or Tyra Banks need a chef friend?" Details. Her family moved to Rochester, New York when she was two years old after her dad took a job with Eastman Kodak. Holland attended La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Burgundy, France, where she received a Grand Diploma in 1992. Something went wrong. Holland holds a Bachelor of Arts in Russian Language and Literature from the University of Virginia, as well as a Grande Diplme from La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Burgundy, France. Tanya Holland with the cast of The Chew on ABC, from left to right: Clinton Kelly (background), Michael Symon, Mario Batali, Tanya Holland, Daphne Oz, Carla Hall. Other guests included Holland's husband, Phil Surkis, R&B singer Ledisi and Shiree Dyson, director of programs at San Francisco's Museum of the African Diaspora. Later, Tanya went on to work as a catering office manager and also as an assistant sommelier for a wine importer. For the Jerk Spice Rub: Combine all the ingredients except the ribs; set aside. Nutrition information: The calories and other nutrients absorbed from marinades and rubs vary and are difficult to estimate. Millones de imgenes, vdeos y opciones musicales de alta calidad te estn esperando. The briskets deep beef flavor was boosted but not overpowered by a light sugar-and-spice rub, and Holland brightly excused herself from the sauce/no-sauce debate with a small dish of barbecue sauce on the side: your choice. And even the collard greens, cooked simply with a bit of garlic, achieved a commendable chew. prints Downloads. She is a member of the Board of Trustees, a frequent contributing writer and chef at the James Beard Foundation, and Brown Sugar Kitchen (Oakland, CA) has received multiple Michelin Bib Gourmand awards. Holland graduated from Pittsford-Mendon High School in 1983. The City of Oakland declared June 5th, 2012 as Tanya Holland Day for her "Significant Role in Creating Community and Establishing Oakland as a Culinary Center". TANYA HOLLAND 2013-04-05 - tanyaholland.com . Tanya Holland - Wikiwand She is married to writer/performer Phil Surkis who is co-owner and business partner in their restaurants and their event space, B-Side Barn. The author ofThe Brown Sugar Kitchen CookbookandNew Soul Cooking,Hollandcompeted on the 15thseason ofTop Chefon Bravo, was the host and soul food expert on Food NetworksMelting Pot, she appears on the new HBO Max showSelena + Cheffeaturing Selena Gomez, and is the host of Tanyas Kitchen Table on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. By Margo True In 2020 she started Tanyas Table Podcast and released 2 seasons. Apple Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze Recipe Meet Tanya and Phil Surkis on Friday at 7pm Alameda ! Buttermilk Fried Chicken She ownes the Oaklands modern soul food joint called Brown Sugar Kitchen. Entertainment will continue at the B-Side Barn next door, she added. And if they need any . Celebrated chef-owner Tanya Holland and partner Phil Surkis are proud to commemorate the fifth anniversary of West Oakland culinary landmark Brown Sugar Kitchen on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, January 15, 2013. Tanya Holland closes her B-Side BBQ - Eat, Drink, Play Therefore, this recipe contains no analysis. The food community opened its arms. Chef Tanya Holland talks about her career at Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, February 29, 2014. Tanya Holland Instagram Brown Sugar Kitchen's Phil Surkis on Taj Mahal & Table Math . Bacon Cheddar Green Onion Biscuits She is as well an in-demand public speaker. "Once I landed, the food scene was smaller, and there was more a history of women chefs here. Ingrid Hoffmann Food Network, Bio, Wiki, Age, Husband, Restaurant, and Net Worth, Judy Joo Chef, Bio, Wiki, Age, Height, Husband, Recipes, Cookbook, and Net Worth, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes, List of States in the US, Alphabetical list of States in the U.S., and Abbreviation of States in United States. Husband Phil Surkis shares a warm moment with chef Tanya Holland as She joined La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in Burgundy, France and received a Grand Diploma in 1992. Squash Savories To Soothe Summer's End : NPR Or I can go to B-Side BBQ, which Holland opened in 2011. Transfer the ribs to a cutting board, let stand 5 minutes, then cut into individual ribs. Holland is a member of the prestigious Chefs Council for The Center For Culinary Development in San Francisco. Visit brownsugarkitchen.com! Spread the beans in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Brown Sugar Kitchen: 2534 Mandela Parkway (near 26th Street), Oakland; (510) 839-7685. www.brownsugarkitchen.com. Sign up with your email address to stay in touch! Husband Phil Surkis and chef Tanya Holland show Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Calif., on Wednesday, February 29, 2014. A second book, Brown Sugar Kitchen: New Style Down-Home Recipes from Sweet West Oakland with a foreword by Michael Chabon, was released in 2014 by Chronicle Books. Her second restaurant, B-Side BBQ, in an even more graffiti-pocked section of West Oakland, is gaining steam as resilient followers seek out her on-site smoked brisket and small-batch bourbon cocktails. The classic combination was allegedly created for jazz musicians who got off work so late, they couldn't decide between breakfast and dinner. Time magazine's November cover story, "The 13 Gods of Food," featured not one female chef, sparking a national discussion about why women aren't promoted in professional kitchens as quickly as their male counterparts. Los Boards son el mejor lugar para guardar imgenes y clips de vdeo. From there, Tanya joined the University of Virginia where she earned a BA in Russian Language and Literature in1987. Chef Tanya Holland unlocks the metals gates to doors and windows outisde of Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, Calif., before doing prep on Sunday, February 2, 2014. What she offers is a California-ized rendition of African-American comfort food, she said, but its about classic technique, too. A phone call to her parents in Georgia is always a pick-me-up. After 45 minutes, brush the ribs with some of the Pineapple Glaze, and brush them two or three times before serving. This year, Chabon and Waldman invited Holland to cook Thanksgiving at their Craftsman house near the foot of the Oakland Hills. She is known as an expert of soul food. Tanya Holland (born July 14, 1965) is an American celebrity chef, restaurateur, podcast host, writer, and cookbook author. By submitting your email, you agree to our, The freshest news from the local food world, Brown Sugar Kitchen's Phil Surkis on Taj Mahal & TableMath, Sign up for the Two-Step On Over To B-Side BBQ | KQED Chef Tanya Holland makes grits in at Brown Sugar Kitchen before it opens in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, February 2, 2014. Acclaimed for her inventive take on modern soul food, as well as comfort classics, Tanya Holland is the Executive Chef/Owner of the internationally renowned and beloved Brown Sugar Kitchen restaurant, in Oakland, California. Holland was born on July 14, 1965 in Hartford, Connecticut to parents Annette Holland and Hollis Holland. [3][4] When Holland was eight years old, her parents founded a gourmet cooking and eating club that consisted of six couples from different ethnic and professional backgrounds. ", West Oakland hadn't always been so down and out. The chef is so devoted to the holiday that when she was a homesick 26-year-old student at France's prestigious La Varenne cooking school, she invited her classmates to a Thanksgiving dinner.