Other
Damarr Brown
James Beard Award winner
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
As Chef de Cuisine at Virtue Restaurant, Damarr Brown works from memory as a technical tool, not a decorative one. In his kitchen, recollection is measured, edited, and folded into the work with the kind of control that comes from learning to treat where you come from as usable material.
The Path
Chicago, Illinois, is the starting point here, but the more useful story is the progression of kitchen labor that followed. Damarr Brown built his foundation first as an unpaid prep cook, garde manger, and sous chef at mk until 2017, a stretch that would have required speed, repetition, and the discipline to earn every next step from the bottom up. He then moved to Roister in Chicago, Illinois, as a cook, adding another service-driven layer to the work and deepening the habits that define restaurant life. By 2018, Brown had become Head Chef at Virtue in Chicago, Illinois, and that promotion marked the point where the work took on a more personal shape, without losing its structure.
The Work Today
The food at Virtue Restaurant stays close to the Southern vocabulary Damarr Brown names from his own upbringing. The result is direct rather than theatrical. Brown does not dress the food in sentiment; he lets the craft hold the memory. His own wording makes the same point without ornament. “I really didn't want to embarrass myself in a mise en place challenge,” he says, and the line reads as more than a joke. It points to the part of the job that never leaves the station: preparation, repetition, and the ability to stay composed when the work is measured in small, exacting moments.
Signature
Damarr's signature dishes include Walleye, Gulf Crawfish-Shrimp Étouffée, Buttered "Geechie" Stone Ground Grits, and Lemon Chicken. Read together, they show a kitchen built around recognizable Southern comfort, with attention paid to texture, balance, and the plain strength of familiar food handled well.
In Their Words “The food that I'm cooking now is food that I ate growing up, which, when I first started, I wanted nothing to do with—at least professionally.” “I really didn't want to embarrass myself in a mise en place challenge.”
Acclaim
Damarr's honors include Emerging Chef (2023) and Best New Chefs (2022).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Damarr
What is Damarr Brown's current role?
As of 2026, Damarr Brown is Chef de Cuisine.
Where did Damarr Brown work before?
Damarr Brown's earlier career included mk, Roister, and Virtue.
What recognition has Damarr Brown received?
Emerging Chef (2023).
