When Jawaun Wilkerson decided to become a chef he was following in the tradition of his family’s matriarchs—his grandmother, who was a master of old-school Southern classics, and his mother, a kitchen supervisor for the New York City public schools. Wilkerson went straight to work in professional kitchens like Dig Inn and Pret a Manger, where he learned to work with carefully sourced ingredients while cooking at a large scale. Today, Wilkerson is the Culinary Production Manager for Inday, an Indian-inspired New York-based restaurant group. With the same careful attention to sourcing, he prepares exciting Indian dishes rooted in the idea of food as medicine. We sat down with Wilkerson to learn about what inspires him and what he sees as the greatest challenges for young Black chefs starting out today. 

Territory: How has your background influenced your cooking?

Wilkerson: My grandmother was from Mississippi and she had a knack for making the best old-school Southern food. During family events and holidays, there was always music playing. Those flavors and memories influence how I  approach recipes and the mood I try to create in my kitchen. 

Territory: Who inspired you to become a cook, and what effect did they have on you personally?

Wilkerson: My mom was a cook in a New York City public school and worked her way up to kitchen supervisor. She was always cooking and moving up in the ranks and she inspired me to get into cooking. 

Territory: What are some of the key ingredients you rely on to make food so flavorful?

Wilkerson: I love using garlic, cilantro, onion, and vinegar to enhance the pungency of food. They’re universal ingredients that they have broad appeal. 

Territory: Which Inday x Territory meal would you recommend to someone who’s never tried your food? And why? 

Wilkerson: I would recommend my Golden Chicken Curry because the sweet curry sauce is a nice marriage of Indian and East Asian flavors. 

Territory: What are the biggest barriers facing Black chefs who want to advance in this industry? What are the greatest opportunities? 

Wilkerson: There are limited opportunities because a lot of people need to have extensive backgrounds in the kitchen in order to move up in the ranks and a lot of people can’t afford that. The greatest opportunities are the lack of presence of Black chefs, so when black chefs have the podium, people are really watching and can show others what they are made of. 

Territory: What advice would you give to young Black chefs starting out today? What would you say to a young Jawaun? 

Wilkerson: To a young chef starting today I would say, "Do. Not. Give Up. Because things get tougher than you ever think they would. There will be times when you’re going to want to drop everything, but you have to step back and look at the bigger picture." To my younger self I would say, "push yourself sooner."

Our menus vary by zip code. We pride ourselves on working with chefs across the country for a variety of flavors, delivering within a regional radius for freshness, and having a rotating menu so Territory customers never get bored of our options! If you see a Territory meal you'd love to try, but don't see it on your weekly menu, email us at [email protected]m so we can share your wishlist with our culinary team. We appreciate your feedback.