DMV Black Restaurant Week, in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office on African American Affairs, recently launched its sixth annual celebration of Black-owned restaurants. The kickoff happy hour at Hill Prince on H Street NE began with a mayoral proclamation designating the week of Dec. 3 the official DMV Black Restaurant Week for 2023.
Founded by Dr. Erinn Tucker, a professor of hospitality, food entrepreneur Andra “AJ” Johnson, and Chef Furard K. Tate, the week highlights Black restaurants in the DMV area. Participating restaurants offer coordinated specials, are featured on the DMV Black Restaurant Week (DMVBRW) website, and are highlighted in various events throughout the week.
Hill Prince, a staple along the H Street corridor, was acquired by celebrity Chef Rock Harper, winner of Hell’s Kitchen season 3 and owner of Queen Mother’s Kitchen.
Harper expressed gratitude for the support his ventures received, especially during the pandemic: “I could not have done Queen Mother’s without us,” he stated. “Hands down 100% the support that I received throughout the pandemic we opened in 2020. I would not be open if it were not for Black people. You have to understand that.”
The Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) also played a role, promoting the “By Our Hands” Black Restaurant Accelerator. This initiative includes six months of workshops led by industry experts like Tate and offers a $10,000 grant upon completion.
Kimberly Corbin, GWUL’s chief administrative and finance opportunity officer, highlighted the excitement surrounding the DMV Black Restaurant Week event.
“I always have a great time,” Corbin said. “I always get to meet new folks. I always get to taste new cuisine that I hadn’t thought you could put those two things together and make magic. But more importantly, I love the community’s feel to all of this.”
Attendees emphasized the importance of sustaining and elevating Black culture through cuisine.
“We are responsible for keeping our culture alive, nobody else is,” Tate declared. “And if we don’t do it first, no one else will. So tonight, today, for the whole week, for the whole year, this is a reminder of the responsibility that we all have to keep our food culture alive.”