
Paul Carmichael and the Blessing of Uncle Clive
From Tinfoil Swans by Food & Wine
April 14, 2026 · 1h 2m
About this episode
Chef Paul Carmichael discusses his journey from Barbados to becoming the chef of the best restaurant in the U.S.
Chef Paul Carmichael traces his path from a teenage cook in Barbados to the chef behind Kabawa, which Food & Wine recently named the best restaurant in the U.S. He opens up about feeling like an impostor in top kitchens, the mentors (like Wylie Dufresne, Marcus Samuelsson, and David Chang) who shaped him, and the turning point that led him to “burn clean” and build a restaurant rooted in purpose, not pressure. Visit foodandwine.com/tinfoilswans for more Episode Art Courtesy of Paul C: Food & Wine / Paul Carmichael Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Food & Wine
Guest: Paul Carmichael
Topics covered
- cooking
- restaurant industry
- mentorship
- Barbados
- culinary journey
Keywords
- Paul Carmichael
- Kabawa
- mentors
- restaurant
- Barbados
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Food & Wine, Kabawa
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