Eric Adjepong
Ghanaian-American
Chef + Co-founder, Pinch & Plate
Website: chefadjepong.com
Wnstagram: @chefadjepong
As a native New Yorker, Eric Adjepong is a first-generation Ghanaian-American, possessing well-deserved titles including: personal chef, public health professional, and former Chopped contestant (August 2016). He proudly serves up love and bold flavors inspired by the foods he grew up eating, and his cultural experiences in three different continents.
Eric’s culinary career began in the States, where he obtained a bachelor of science in ‘culinary nutrition’ from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island in 2010. Less than 2 years later, Eric insisted on furthering his knowledge of the culinary arts, so he moved to London, UK to pursue an international public health degree at the University of Westminster. During this master's program, Eric wanted to tie his Ghanaian roots into his master’s thesis. This quest would lead him to 2 cities in Ghana, Accra and Kusmai, to conduct research on the food systems, and their relation to heart health, such as diabetes and heart diseases. Eric soon discovered that his original motive for being in Ghana, turned into a culinary research experience, where he learned about recipe origins, and the colors and smells of unique dishes. With this newly acquired knowledge, Eric returned to New York in 2013 with a primary goal in mind: to modernize West African cuisine.
In 2014, Eric started a culinary and nutrition consulting business – providing nutritional assessments, and dietary meal planning to clients looking to improve their health. And in 2015, Eric and his beautiful fiancé, Janell Mack, founded Pinch & Plate: a customizable, mobile dinner party service providing full service pop-up dinner parties. Eric brings his passion for food, and Janell brings her esquisite décor skills to the five-course dining experience.
Interesting fact: Eric and Janell recently relocated to Washington, D.C. from New York. So if you are in the area, call the duo for your next dinner party and/or attend one of the many dinner parties they host!
Sources: Take It Easy Tiger and chefadjepong.com