Like many, professional chef Judson Todd Allen first learned to cook in the kitchen with his grandmother. But then later, Allen’s life became a rich journey many would call unconventional.
His culinary career has taken him from the South Side of Chicago to Europe, and he’s prepared mouth-watering dishes for celebrities including Jamie Foxx and Steve Harvey.
Chef Allen says despite a high-profile career, his life has not been all “cake and pie.” He says there have also been “spoiled milk” moments, most notably his own battle with obesity.
Not one to stay down, he used his own painful experiences to become an entrepreneur and a star on the Food Network.
The self-proclaimed “Architect of Flavor” recently talked with the Recorder about how he challenged his grandmother in a bake-off, lost over 100 pounds and how African-Americans can enjoy healthy soul food without sacrificing taste.
Recorder: When did you develop your love for food and cooking?
Chef Allen: I’ve been in love with food since birth. (Laughs) It was something about food and the aroma that captivated me. My first food experience was actually with my grandmother. Many people don’t know this, but I did a baking competition at my church. My grandmother would enter her ‘Brownies To Feed A Crowd’ in the bake-off every year. When I was 5 years old, I told her, ‘I want to compete against you and beat you.’ She thought it was exciting but I was serious. My grandmother taught me how to bake a chocolate pound cake. I entered that into the competition. She came in first and I came in second. We were probably the only two in the competition. (Laughs.) She poured into me at a young age her love for cooking.
There are many people who cook at home, but few that go on to make this a profession. Why did you want to become a professional?
Food is a huge part of my culture and my life. I was always intrigued and had lots of questions; I was always tasting. That’s when I began to hone in on having a culinary career. I found an urban agricultural school in Chicago called the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences. They had something on the curriculum called ‘Food Science.’ I wasn’t interested in the science, but I saw food so I said ‘I’m going there.’ Unbeknownst to me, there was more science than food but that’s where I began building my educational experience around food. After high school I attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and majored in food science and human nutrition. Later I studied culinary arts in Paris at Le Cordon Bleu and The Ritz. My route to chefdom has been unconventional, but it shows there is no one-way track to get to your goals, especially in the food industry.
What was Paris like?
I studied in Paris, but I also traveled all throughout Europe to places like Léon, France; Switzerland; Spain; Italy; all of these places researching and understanding food. Part of my program was in the kitchen, but the other part was going into the hidden gems of these cultural meccas. It was going into a 98-year-old grandmother in Italy’s kitchen and learning from her, which is an experience I just so happened to stumble upon.
How did you develop and enhance your palate to enjoy all of these foods from various countries?
Even before going abroad, I’ve been exposed to different cultures and their food. My palate has been trained to appreciate all areas of food and understand the flavor. In Chicago, we’re all about steak, pizza, cheese, fat, and calories. In Paris, you still get some of those calories, but it’s all about small portions, fresh, day-to-day shopping and cooking.
Your weight loss is also a part of your life story. Tell me about this accomplishment.
The weight loss was a huge component in building my brand. I really found out what I stand for and my culinary point of view. I told you throughout my childhood I was in love with food. It was about the cooking, but it was really about the eating. Food became an addiction for me at a young age. It was the one thing I could always go to, to help me cope. As a bigger kid I was picked on, bullied, and ridiculed. When I graduated from college and received my cap and gown photo I became emotional. I was over 350 pounds. I told myself I had to make a change. I did that by changing my mindset and feelings about food. Then I changed my palate; I learned to appreciate food with great flavor that was healthy. I was able to lose over 150 pounds. I tell people, the struggle for me is not over, but I’m able to encourage others and teach them how to apply easy cooking tips that’s healthy and with flavor. I’m called the architect of flavor!
Tell me about your company Healthy Infused Cuisine.
Health Infused Cuisine was founded in 2007 and was my brainchild. I told myself if I could start this business, I can incorporate my weight loss into the lives of other people. I started off with doing consultations and giving advice and encouragement. That transitioned into me creating a gourmet packaged meal delivery service. From there I added a catering arm. I started off small then worked my way up to working for big Los Angeles events and people like Jamie Foxx and Steve Harvey. It’s opened up doors and allowed me to live out my dream.
You were also a finalist on the Food Network’s “Food Network Star” season 8. I bet that was an exciting experience.
It was an awesome experience! But as I was going through it, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I auditioned for Food Network four years before I made the cast in 2012. I stayed persistent because I told myself I wanted to do TV too. I made it and had an opportunity to be mentored by Alton Brown on the show. You kind of haze yourself because you really want to do well, but at the end of the day, it’s reality TV with quotes around reality. (Laughs). I gave 110 percent. This opened up a platform for me to continue to do television.
What’s next for you?
I launched my “Judson Todd Allen CHEF BLEND Hot Sauce” and it’s my signature blend. I invented it as a healthy sauce alternative. It’s low in sodium and all natural. It gives you the perfect amount of heat with the perfect amount of flavor. It’s all purpose so you can use it on anything. Soon we’ll be in Walgreens and in Food for Less in the Chicago area. I’m also doing Robi Reed’s “Sunshine Beyond the Summer” event and I’m the featured celebrity chef. I’m also working on some TV show ideas; a book should be coming forth soon; and I stay involved in the community, especially with kids.
Thanksgiving is coming soon. How can African-Americans transform holiday favorites to make them healthier?
Sure! For example, macaroni and cheese is a huge staple and I love it. I had to make it healthier, but I wanted to still feel like I was getting an experience. A couple things I like to do is use all-quality cheese, but instead of using sour cream or cream cheese, I’ll use yogurt to bring in the creaminess. I’ll also add pureed cauliflower, which also adds to the creaminess. You still get the fat from the cheese, but you cut a lot of that by eliminating the butter and heavy creams. A lot of people will do the turkey, but you’ll also have the fried chicken or catfish. Instead, try a pecan-crusted or blackened catfish; or a Cornish hen stuffed with quinoa, cranberries and apples. Bake it in the oven with herbs or lemon zest. If you build levels of flavor, you get a wonderful experience.
For more information, visit judsontoddallen.com.
