Cheetie Kumar l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t ng\u01b0\u1eddi g\u1ed1c mi\u1ec1n Nam n\u01b0\u1edbc M\u1ef9, l\u1edbn l\u00ean \u1edf \u1ea4n \u0110\u1ed9 v\u00e0 Bronx, l\u00e0 nh\u1ea1c s\u0129, \u0111\u1ea7u b\u1ebfp t\u1eebng \u0111o\u1ea1t gi\u1ea3i th\u01b0\u1edfng v\u00e0 ch\u1ee7 nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng Ajja v\u00e0 Big Cat \u1edf Raleigh, B\u1eafc Carolina.<\/p>\n
Ajja, t\u1ecda l\u1ea1c t\u1ea1i khu ph\u1ed1 Five Points c\u1ee7a th\u00e0nh ph\u1ed1, l\u1ea5y c\u1ea3m h\u1ee9ng t\u1eeb s\u1ef1 \u0111a d\u1ea1ng v\u1ec1 \u1ea9m th\u1ef1c v\u00e0 v\u0103n h\u00f3a, c\u00e1c lo\u1ea1i gia v\u1ecb v\u00e0 th\u1ea3o m\u1ed9c t\u01b0\u01a1i ngon, c\u00f9ng k\u1ef9 thu\u1eadt n\u1ea5u n\u01b0\u1edbng c\u1ee7a v\u00f9ng \u0110\u1ecba Trung H\u1ea3i, Trung \u0110\u00f4ng v\u00e0 nhi\u1ec1u n\u01a1i kh\u00e1c. Ajja ti\u1ebfp n\u1ed1i di s\u1ea3n c\u1ee7a nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng Garland tr\u01b0\u1edbc \u0111\u00e2y c\u1ee7a Cheetie v\u00e0 ti\u1ebfp t\u1ee5c k\u1ec3 c\u00e2u chuy\u1ec7n phong ph\u00fa v\u1ec1 nh\u1eefng ng\u01b0\u1eddi tr\u1ed3ng tr\u1ecdt, n\u00f4ng d\u00e2n v\u00e0 nh\u00e0 cung c\u1ea5p c\u1ee7a B\u1eafc Carolina trong m\u1ed9t kh\u00f4ng gian nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng trong nh\u00e0 v\u00e0 ngo\u00e0i tr\u1eddi s\u00f4i \u0111\u1ed9ng.<\/p>\n
Sau khi khai tr\u01b0\u01a1ng v\u00e0o th\u00e1ng 6 n\u0103m 2023, Ajja nhanh ch\u00f3ng nh\u1eadn \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c \u0111\u1ec1 c\u1eed v\u00e0o v\u00f2ng b\u00e1n k\u1ebft gi\u1ea3i th\u01b0\u1edfng James Beard Foundation cho h\u1ea1ng m\u1ee5c Nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng m\u1edbi t\u1ed1t nh\u1ea5t. Ajja c\u0169ng \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c vinh danh l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t trong nh\u1eefng nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng h\u00e0ng \u0111\u1ea7u. Esquire b\u00ecnh ch\u1ecdn Nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng m\u1edbi t\u1ed1t nh\u1ea5t, Eater b\u00ecnh ch\u1ecdn Nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng m\u1edbi t\u1ed1t nh\u1ea5t v\u00f9ng Carolinas <\/em>v\u00e0 Nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng t\u1ed1t nh\u1ea5t Raleigh b\u1edfi Axios<\/em>. .V\u00e0o n\u0103m 2025, Kh\u1ea9u v\u1ecb \u0111\u1ecba ph\u01b0\u01a1ng<\/em> Cheetie \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c vinh danh l\u00e0 \u0110\u1ea7u b\u1ebfp gi\u1ecfi nh\u1ea5t B\u1eafc Carolina.<\/p>\n V\u00e0o m\u00f9a xu\u00e2n n\u0103m 2026, Cheetie v\u00e0 m\u1ed9t nh\u00f3m c\u00e1c nh\u00e0 \u0111i\u1ec1u h\u00e0nh gi\u00e0u kinh nghi\u1ec7m \u1edf Raleigh, bao g\u1ed3m ch\u1ed3ng c\u00f4 l\u00e0 Paul Siler, nh\u1eefng ng\u01b0\u1eddi t\u1eebng nh\u1eadn gi\u1ea3i Bib Gourmand c\u1ee7a Michelin Guide l\u00e0 Angela Salamanca v\u00e0 Marshall Davis c\u1ee7a Mala Pata, c\u00f9ng v\u1edbi Justin Pasfield c\u1ee7a Locals Seafood v\u00e0 c\u00e1c d\u1ef1 \u00e1n kh\u00e1c, \u0111\u00e3 khai tr\u01b0\u01a1ng Big Cat t\u1ea1i khu East Mordecai c\u1ee7a Raleigh. N\u1eb1m \u1edf g\u00f3c \u0111\u01b0\u1eddng Brookside Drive v\u00e0 Glascock Street, Big Cat l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng \u0111a concept cung c\u1ea5p c\u00e1c d\u1ecbch v\u1ee5 t\u1eeb ng\u00e0y \u0111\u1ebfn \u0111\u00eam cho c\u00e1c khu d\u00e2n c\u01b0 xung quanh, n\u01a1i t\u1eadp trung c\u00e1c gia \u0111\u00ecnh.<\/p>\n Nh\u1eefng m\u00f3n \u0103n tinh t\u1ebf v\u00e0 \u0111\u1ea7y suy t\u01b0 c\u1ee7a Cheetie, \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c k\u1ebft h\u1ee3p h\u00e0i h\u00f2a gi\u1eefa tr\u00ed t\u01b0\u1edfng t\u01b0\u1ee3ng, s\u1ef1 n\u1ed5i lo\u1ea1n v\u00e0 t\u00e2m h\u1ed3n, \u0111\u00e3 mang v\u1ec1 cho c\u00f4 hai \u0111\u1ec1 c\u1eed gi\u1ea3i th\u01b0\u1edfng James Beard Foundation (v\u00e0 s\u00e1u l\u1ea7n l\u1ecdt v\u00e0o b\u00e1n k\u1ebft) cho h\u1ea1ng m\u1ee5c \u201c\u0110\u1ea7u b\u1ebfp xu\u1ea5t s\u1eafc nh\u1ea5t: Khu v\u1ef1c \u0110\u00f4ng Nam\u201d nh\u1edd th\u1ef1c \u0111\u01a1n \u0111a v\u0103n h\u00f3a c\u1ee7a m\u00ecnh.<\/p>\n Khi c\u00f2n nh\u1ecf \u1edf \u1ea4n \u0110\u1ed9, Cheetie th\u01b0\u1eddng xuy\u00ean \u1edf trong b\u1ebfp c\u00f9ng m\u1eb9 v\u00e0 b\u00e0, quan s\u00e1t v\u00e0 h\u1ecdc h\u1ecfi c\u00e1ch h\u1ecd chu\u1ea9n b\u1ecb c\u00e1c b\u1eefa \u0103n h\u00e0ng ng\u00e0y. Gia \u0111\u00ecnh c\u00f4 gi\u1eef g\u00ecn m\u1ea1nh m\u1ebd di s\u1ea3n \u1ea9m th\u1ef1c c\u1ee7a m\u00ecnh, c\u1ea9n th\u1eadn truy\u1ec1n l\u1ea1i nh\u1eefng k\u1ef9 thu\u1eadt l\u00e2u \u0111\u1eddi v\u00e0 c\u00e1ch ch\u1ebf bi\u1ebfn \u0111\u00edch th\u1ef1c qua nhi\u1ec1u th\u1ebf h\u1ec7, b\u1edfi v\u00ec h\u1ea7u h\u1ebft c\u00e1c c\u00f4ng th\u1ee9c n\u1ea5u \u0103n \u0111\u1ec1u kh\u00f4ng \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c ghi ch\u00e9p l\u1ea1i v\u00e0 ph\u1ea7n l\u1edbn ki\u1ebfn th\u1ee9c n\u00e0y \u0111\u00e3 b\u1ecb th\u1ea5t l\u1ea1c trong cu\u1ed9c ph\u00e2n chia \u0111\u1ea5t n\u01b0\u1edbc. Khi Cheetie t\u00e1m tu\u1ed5i, gia \u0111\u00ecnh Kumar chuy\u1ec3n \u0111\u1ebfn Bronx, New York. Kho\u1ea3ng th\u1eddi gian \u0111\u00f3, Cheetie chia s\u1ebb: \u2019T\u00f4i \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c h\u00f2a m\u00ecnh v\u00e0o m\u1ed9t th\u1ebf gi\u1edbi c\u1ee7a nhi\u1ec1u d\u00e2n t\u1ed9c v\u00e0 n\u1ec1n v\u0103n h\u00f3a m\u1edbi. Trong qu\u00e1 tr\u00ecnh t\u00ecm ki\u1ebfm b\u1ea3n s\u1eafc \u1edf m\u1ed9t \u0111\u1ea5t n\u01b0\u1edbc m\u1edbi, \u1ea9m th\u1ef1c v\u00e0 n\u1ea5u n\u01b0\u1edbng l\u00e0 ng\u00f4n ng\u1eef k\u1ebft n\u1ed1i gia \u0111\u00ecnh t\u00f4i v\u00e0 nh\u1eefng ng\u01b0\u1eddi b\u1ea1n m\u1edbi. Mong mu\u1ed1n k\u1ebft n\u1ed1i l\u1ea1i v\u1edbi 'c\u00e1c t\u1ec9nh ph\u00eda T\u00e2y B\u1eafc' trong di s\u1ea3n gia \u0111\u00ecnh \u0111\u00e3 truy\u1ec1n c\u1ea3m h\u1ee9ng cho h\u01b0\u1edbng \u0111i th\u1ef1c \u0111\u01a1n t\u1ea1i Ajja.\u201c<\/p>\n Sau khi t\u1ed1t nghi\u1ec7p trung h\u1ecdc, Cheetie theo h\u1ecdc \u0110\u1ea1i h\u1ecdc Massachusetts, Amherst, chuy\u00ean ng\u00e0nh T\u00e2m l\u00fd h\u1ecdc, \u0111\u1ed3ng th\u1eddi h\u1ecdc th\u00eam L\u1ecbch s\u1eed v\u00e0 V\u0103n h\u1ecdc so s\u00e1nh. Trong th\u1eddi gian h\u1ecdc t\u1ea1i \u0111\u00e2y, c\u00f4 c\u0169ng \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c trang b\u1ecb ki\u1ebfn th\u1ee9c v\u1eefng ch\u1eafc v\u1ec1 s\u1ea3n xu\u1ea5t \u00e2m nh\u1ea1c, qu\u1ea3n l\u00fd ch\u01b0\u01a1ng tr\u00ecnh, ban nh\u1ea1c v\u00e0 qu\u1ea3ng b\u00e1 khi l\u00e0m vi\u1ec7c t\u1ea1i \u0111\u00e0i ph\u00e1t thanh c\u1ee7a tr\u01b0\u1eddng v\u00e0 tham gia ban t\u1ed5 ch\u1ee9c h\u00f2a nh\u1ea1c c\u1ee7a tr\u01b0\u1eddng. Ch\u00ednh nh\u1eefng kinh nghi\u1ec7m \u0111\u00f3 \u0111\u00e3 d\u1eabn \u0111\u1ebfn vi\u1ec7c c\u00f4 chuy\u1ec3n \u0111\u1ebfn Raleigh, B\u1eafc Carolina \u0111\u1ec3 theo \u0111u\u1ed5i s\u1ef1 nghi\u1ec7p \u00e2m nh\u1ea1c. T\u1ea1i Raleigh, Cheetie t\u00ecm th\u1ea5y m\u1ed9t c\u1ed9ng \u0111\u1ed3ng tr\u00e0n \u0111\u1ea7y nh\u1eefng nh\u1ea1c s\u0129 v\u00e0 ngh\u1ec7 s\u0129 s\u00e1ng t\u1ea1o, \u0111\u1ed3ng th\u1eddi kh\u00e1m ph\u00e1 ra m\u1ed9t n\u1ec1n v\u0103n h\u00f3a gi\u00e0u c\u00f3 v\u1ec1 n\u00f4ng nghi\u1ec7p, ngu\u1ed3n th\u1ef1c ph\u1ea9m \u0111a d\u1ea1ng v\u1ec1 ch\u1ee7ng t\u1ed9c v\u00e0 m\u1ed9t l\u1ecbch s\u1eed \u1ea9m th\u1ef1c ph\u1ee9c t\u1ea1p nh\u01b0ng v\u00f4 c\u00f9ng ngon mi\u1ec7ng.<\/p>\n Cheetie l\u00e0 m\u1ed9t \u0111\u1ea7u b\u1ebfp t\u1ef1 h\u1ecdc, c\u00f4 \u0111\u00e3 nghi\u00ean c\u1ee9u c\u00e1c c\u00f4ng th\u1ee9c n\u1ea5u \u0103n trong khi theo \u0111u\u1ed5i s\u1ef1 nghi\u1ec7p ch\u01a1i guitar trong c\u00e1c ban nh\u1ea1c The Cherry Valence v\u00e0 g\u1ea7n \u0111\u00e2y h\u01a1n l\u00e0 Birds of Avalon, c\u00f9ng v\u1edbi ch\u1ed3ng v\u00e0 \u0111\u1ed1i t\u00e1c kinh doanh c\u1ee7a m\u00ecnh, Paul Siler. Nh\u1eefng n\u0103m th\u00e1ng h\u1ecd d\u00e0nh cho vi\u1ec7c l\u01b0u di\u1ec5n v\u00e0 l\u00e0m ch\u1ee7 \u0111\u1ecba \u0111i\u1ec3m bi\u1ec3u di\u1ec5n \u00e2m nh\u1ea1c Kings v\u00e0 qu\u00e1n bar cocktail li\u1ec1n k\u1ec1, Neptune's Parlour, \u0111\u00e3 d\u1ea1y Cheetie gi\u00e1 tr\u1ecb c\u1ee7a tinh th\u1ea7n ngh\u1ec7 thu\u1eadt \u0111\u1ed9c l\u1eadp, v\u1ed1n l\u00e0 x\u01b0\u01a1ng s\u1ed1ng c\u1ee7a c\u1ed9ng \u0111\u1ed3ng Raleigh, n\u01a1i c\u00f4 v\u00e0 Paul t\u00ecm th\u1ea5y ngu\u1ed3n c\u1ea3m h\u1ee9ng v\u00e0 h\u1ea1nh ph\u00fac khi g\u1ecdi \u0111\u00f3 l\u00e0 nh\u00e0.<\/p>\n Cheetie \u0111\u00e3 \u0111\u01b0\u1ee3c m\u00f4 t\u1ea3 trong C\u00e1c<\/em> Th\u1eddi b\u00e1o New York<\/em>, Cu\u1ed9c s\u1ed1ng mi\u1ec1n Nam <\/em>V\u00e0 T\u1ea1p ch\u00ed Ph\u1ed1 Wall<\/em>, Trong s\u1ed1 nhi\u1ec1u \u1ea5n ph\u1ea9m qu\u1ed1c gia kh\u00e1c, b\u00e0 Cheetie t\u00edch c\u1ef1c tham gia v\u1eadn \u0111\u1ed9ng ch\u00ednh s\u00e1ch v\u1ec1 th\u1ef1c ph\u1ea9m v\u00e0 gi\u1eef ch\u1ee9c Ph\u00f3 Ch\u1ee7 t\u1ecbch H\u1ed9i \u0111\u1ed3ng qu\u1ea3n tr\u1ecb c\u1ee7a Li\u00ean minh Nh\u00e0 h\u00e0ng \u0110\u1ed9c l\u1eadp (Independent Restaurant Coalition) c\u0169ng nh\u01b0 Ph\u00f3 Ch\u1ee7 t\u1ecbch H\u1ed9i \u0111\u1ed3ng qu\u1ea3n tr\u1ecb c\u1ee7a Li\u00ean minh \u1ea8m th\u1ef1c Mi\u1ec1n Nam (Southern Foodways Alliance). B\u00e0 c\u0169ng l\u00e0 th\u00e0nh vi\u00ean h\u1ed9i \u0111\u1ed3ng qu\u1ea3n tr\u1ecb v\u00e0 \u1ee6y ban Quan h\u1ec7 Ch\u00ednh ph\u1ee7 c\u1ee7a NCRLA. Cheetie l\u00e0 th\u00e0nh vi\u00ean c\u1ee7a Chef Corps thu\u1ed9c World Central Kitchen, m\u1ed9t m\u1ea1ng l\u01b0\u1edbi to\u00e0n c\u1ea7u g\u1ed3m c\u00e1c nh\u00e0 l\u00e3nh \u0111\u1ea1o \u1ea9m th\u1ef1c \u1ee7ng h\u1ed9 c\u00f4ng vi\u1ec7c c\u1ee7a World Central Kitchen trong vi\u1ec7c cung c\u1ea5p c\u00e1c b\u1eefa \u0103n t\u01b0\u01a1i ngon sau c\u00e1c cu\u1ed9c kh\u1ee7ng ho\u1ea3ng.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":9871,"template":"","class_list":["post-1030","chef","type-chef","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southernsmoke.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chef\/1030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southernsmoke.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/chef"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southernsmoke.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chef"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southernsmoke.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9871"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southernsmoke.org\/vi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}