Oakland's food scene is set to get a serious injection of innovation and diversity thanks to the Brundo Chef Residency at Cafe Colucci. This unique program actively seeks the next great star chef, with a clear focus on culinary talent from the African diaspora who lack a brick-and-mortar location. This initiative, founded by Daniel Aderaw Yeshiwas, who is not just a restaurateur but also the managing partner at the long-standing East Bay eatery Cafe Colucci, is designed to help bypass the daunting barriers that chefs face in opening a new establishment in the competitive Bay Area market.
As reported by Eater SF, Yeshiwas is keenly aware of the challenges of launching a restaurant. He says, "I realized it’s really, really hard to even get the support to open up a restaurant in the Bay Area, even if you had the capital, even if you had the business plan." He aims to provide aspiring chefs with a space to take risks and receive actionable feedback. Indeed, the Brundo Chef Residency promises a six-month stint hosting a monthly dinner party series at Cafe Colucci, complete with a range of professional resources at the ready.
Candidates accepted into the residency will gain substantial exposure. This includes the opportunity to work alongside the restaurant’s bar team, access to the kitchen and wholesale accounts for food ordering, and promotional support like having their events documented by a professional photographer and videographer. "We’re really, really excited to have taken this from a small idea at a farmers market to something that has funding, that’s become very structured, and involves members of the community, with intersections of culture, music, food, and Ethiopian cuisine and other diasporic cuisines," Yeshiwas told Eater SF.
According to the detailed outline on Brundo's website, the residency not only provides the stage but also draws on the expertise of industry bigwigs such as Geoff Davis, a 2024 James Beard Finalist. Residents have only to supply back-of-house staff and handle their food costs while retaining the profits from ticket sales after subtracted expenses. The commitment from Brundo and Cafe Colucci includes some VIP and press tickets and the assurance that each menu showcases the rich palette of Brundo spices.
