Chefs de cuisines sometimes get lost in the publicity machine behind the executive chef, who often receives the bulk of the credit in the kitchen. But don’t tell that to Dammar Brown, chef de cuisine, at Virtue, an upscale eatery, located in Hyde Park in Chicago, near the University of Chicago.

Brown, who is 32-years-old, was named Best Emerging Chef at the prestigious 2023 James Beard Awards, given to a chef “who is likely to make a significant impact in years to come.”

Trained at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute in Chicago, Brown said that he grew up in Harvey, Ill, right outside of Chicago and was raised on Southern food “as a result of the great migration.”

He was influenced by the cooking of his mom, aunt and grandmother, “who forced me into the kitchen and noticed that I didn’t mind it.” He dined on their gumbo, collard greens and jambalaya.

Once turning professional, he started to move up the chef ladder. He’s been a sous chef at Roister, a butcher at The Capital Grille after starting as a line cook at DMK County BBQ (now County BBQ), all in Chicago.

A Chicago-based chef, Dammar Brown, who has worked in the Second City his entire life, was named Best Emerging Chef, and is committed to cooking in the Hyde Park neighborhood.

“I learned patience,” Brown declared. “Doing the same thing over and over again, and trying to get really good it, was an important part of being in the kitchen,” he added.

Specializing in Southern American cooking

He described the food served at Virtue as “Southern American cooking informed by the African diaspora.” For example, two of its signature dishes are the gizzards with dirty rice and chicken gravy and the lemon chicken with roasted fennel and green beans.

As chef de cuisine to executive chef Erick Williams, Brown oversees a variety of critical roles in the kitchen. He is responsible for all cooking operations, writes the menu, trains the other cooks, and ensures consistency of the food.

Brown describes Williams, who won a James Beard Award for best chef in the Great Lakes area in 2022, as his “friend, mentor and big brother.” They’ve collaborated for 13 years now, an extensive period when chefs move around like left-handed relief pitchers in baseball.

He suggested that Williams was very flexible and has less of an ego than most award-winning chefs. “He can lead or follow, he can stand in the front or the back, and doesn’t need all the attention,” Brown said. Brown, who is rather low-keyed and thoughtful, adds that he too doesn’t pursue the limelight.

Aligned with the Hyde Park Community

But Virtue aims to become an integral part of its Hyde Park community. “It’s community-staffed and driven,” Brown noted. “We appreciate all of our guests near and far but it always begins with our outstanding community,” he added.

Since so many staff members reside in the nearby community, “it’s organically reflective of the diverse energy of Hyde Park,” he said. He described the neighborhood as “a predominantly Black area, but very diverse as well.”

Its Name Alone Sets a High Bar

Given its being called Virtue, Brown acknowledged that the name entailed “living up to a high moral standard.” Hence, its name “gives us as a team a constant goal to achieve. It’s a compass we use to remember to lead with kindness in our dealings with each other and our guests,” he noted.

Asked what impact earning a James Beard Emerging Chef Award has had on him, Brown replied,

“It’s a huge honor to be recognized by the work we’ve doing at the restaurant. The food I’m cooking right now feels very personal; it’s a version of what I grew up eating. To have that be elevated on such a respectful platform is indescribable.”

Recommendations from Yelp responders

Reader response on Yelp about dining at Virtue was particularly positive. For example, Koreen from Chicago said Virtue is a “great restaurant to check out for elevated southern food.” She recommended numerous menu items including the gumbo, shrimp and grits, cornbread, catfish and the banana pudding for dessert.

And Yadira from Washington, D.C. described the entire meal as “comprised of comfort food, all of which tasted like the person who made it really, really loved you.”

And what’s the next step for Virtue, given its chefs have won awards for two years in succession? Brown said it wants to continue to serve as role models for emerging Black and Brown chefs, who comprise much of its cooking staff. “We’re providing examples to people who may not see themselves as chefs. We’re helping to change the narrative,” he noted.

And the inevitable final question looms, is he pondering opening his own signature restaurant? Brown replied, “Yes, that is the plan, and I’ll be staying in my hometown.”