Kwame Onwuachi is a standout star on Top Chef season 18. He is working to bring greater representation in the media and culinary industry.

Chef Kwame Onwuachi from Top Chef season 18 has become a standout star and we are about to share some fascinating facts about his life. Kwame first appeared in Top Chef season 13, as a talented chef competing throughout the state of California. Now, he has made his return to the Bravo competition show. However, he's on the other side of the table, as part of a rotating panel of judges.

Kwame's return to the series has been welcomed by fans. Season 18 production (the show is currently filming in Portland) has been successfully filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite an array of challenges, and a new twist has been added. This season brought back a group of diverse Top Chef All-Star winners and finalists to be a part of the panel of judges. The show is bringing much-needed diversity and inclusion to the judging panel. Previous Top Chef alumni, such as Gregory Gourdet, Melissa King, and more, have joined host Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, and Gail Simmons, to give a fresh take on critiques. Season 18 reflects the impact COVID-19 had on the restaurant industry. It's also showcased West African cuisine and its influence in the culinary world.

The most prominent episode of the series was led by Kwame and former non-winning contestant Gregory, in the "Pan African Portland" episode. The duo took contestants to the Caribbean and West African restaurants in Portland to give Pan African cuisine the attention it deserves. “It was great to give a platform to those restaurants that may not have had it. It was also great to have a platform for West African cuisine and Caribbean cuisine," Kwame said in an interview with ET. Hailing from a West African and Caribbean background, Kwame has become an advocate for greater representation in the media and the culinary world.

Kwame had humble beginnings. He grew up in the Bronx, New York. At 10-years-old, he was sent to live with relatives in Nigeria because he kept misbehaving in school. Once he returned to New York after two years, he eventually joined a gang, sold drugs, and was expelled from the University of Bridgeport. At this point, Kwame began to turn his life around. When he was in his early 20s, he moved with his mother to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He worked on a boat as a cook, feeding the crew that was cleaning up the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

In 2010, he returned to New York and waited tables at Craft, Top Chef's Tom Colicchio's restaurant in Manhattan. At age 21, he quit Craft and began selling candy on the subway. He used the money to start his own catering business. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and worked in fine dining restaurants like Per Se and Eleven Madison Park. He opened his own restaurant (The Shaw Bijou), and later became the executive chef at Kith and Kin. The restaurant earned him a James Beard Award. At 25 years old, the Bronx native gained notoriety by competing in Top Chef and then made the 2017 Forbes "30 Under 30 Food and Drink" list. Kwame is also the executive producer at Food & Wine. He is an advocate for food policy reform, and for relief for the restaurant industry that was hit hard due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Top Chef star continues to develop his brand. Outside of the show, Kwame has cooked at the White House for the Obamas and was even championed by stars like Dave Chappelle. On top of being a standout chef, he is also a standout dresser. Being a judge on the show has allowed Kwame to break away from the traditional chef's jacket and experiment with fashion. He is a fan of black nail polish and is currently working on a nail polish line. The James Beard winner is also currently in the process of making a film based on his memoir, "Notes From A Young Black Chef." Kwame will be played by Oscar nominee Lakeith Stanfield (Judas and the Black Messiah). The possibilities are endless for Kwame, and fans can't wait to see what he does next.

Next: 10 Best Top Chef Recipes That Fans Can Try At Home

Sources: Etonline, Kwame Onwuachi/Instagram