Theodore victor Coleman ii

Chef Theodore Victor is a James Beard–recognized chef, martial artist, writer, and modern-day stoic whose cuisine fuses Modernist American technique with the ancestral fire of the African diaspora. Born and raised in New York City in the early ’90s, he grew up on hip hop, anime, and Iron Chef America reruns—fueling a culinary imagination that now blends Afro-Latin soul, East Asian precision, and Mediterranean brightness into dishes that haunt and honor.

A protégé of Floyd Cardoz and Alex Stupak, Theo sharpened his skills at North End Grill, Paowalla, Empellón, and Mischa. In 2021, he joined the inaugural class of James Beard Fellows and became a fierce advocate for food education through his work with the Food Education Fund. Whether plating at the Beard House, teaching, or competing on the culinary battlefield, he cooks like a memory igniting itself—layering smoke, citrus, crunch, and history into every bite.