Aretah Ettarh
Gramercy Tavern | New York
February 2023
Growing up as a Nigerian-American in New Jersey, Aretah Ettarh’s childhood was filled with foods and meals from around the world—from West Africa, to Italy, to Korea. More interested in hanging out in the kitchen than cooking herself, Ettarh decided to pursue a degree in hotel restaurant management at the University of Delaware. While at school, she tried her hand in the kitchen at the University’s student-run restaurant and never looked back. After graduating in 2014, Ettarh enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America’s Greystone campus in California. She returned to the East Coast in 2015, joining the team at Jean Georges as chef de partie. There, she underwent a self-described "culinary bootcamp," learning the ins and outs of working in a fine dining restaurant and honing both culinary and leadership skills that would inevitably set her up for success down the line.
While living in New York City, Ettarh would often dine at Gramercy Tavern, and in 2016, she decided to join the team herself. Over her six-year tenure, she worked her way up, starting as a line cook and ultimately becoming the restaurant’s chef de cuisine in 2022. Under Rising Stars alum Michael Anthony, Ettarh strives to stay true to the Gramercy Tavern legacy, pushing the program forward and making approachable, comforting dishes that reflect what she enjoys eating herself, such as corn agnolotti with poached lobster, brown butter, and ginger. At the helm of one of the city’s most famed kitchens, Ettarh also takes immense pride in mentoring the next generation of chefs, often workshopping dishes with her team and prioritizing building a positive work environment that fosters growth for her staff.
