Chef Kwame Onwuachi (of Shaw Bijou fame/infamy) opening Kith and Kin this October in SW Waterfront

Rendering courtesy Kith and Kin

From a press release:

“Chef Kwame Onwuachi and InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf today announced the upcoming opening of Kith and Kin, a 96-seat restaurant including a private dining room and bar located at 801 Wharf Street, SW, Washington D.C. The highly anticipated restaurant from Top Chef alumni and Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park graduate Onwuachi is scheduled to open at The Wharf in October 2017 and is slated to pay homage to cuisines inspired by Onwuachi’s diverse heritage paying tribute to his childhood, family meals and recipes, and extensive travels including a rich focus on Caribbean flavors, Creole cuisine, and African accents all merged with creative and modern touches that reflect Onwuachi’s culinary skills and background.

Photo by REY LOPEZ

The upscale casual restaurant will be situated in an elegant space located within the InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf featuring 3,500 square feet including a spacious and light-soaked dining room with waterfront views and outdoor seating. Chef Onwuachi has also commissioned artist Emily Eisenhart to create a large custom mural in the main dining room of which will feature dozens of his favorite quotes from many of the chefs he has had the pleasure of working with/for, as well as chefs and industry professionals he looks up to.

Photo by REY LOPEZ

Signature dishes at Kith and Kin are set to include an African-inspired Jollof Rice with Confit of Spring Onions, Nigerian Red Sauce, Marinated Tomatoes, and Whipped Ricotta, a fragrant Creole spice-infused Mom Dukes Peel and Eat Shrimp including Gulf Shrimp, Abita, Citrus, and Roasted Garlic, a Caribbean-centric Goat Roti with Dal Puri, Curried Goat, and a Tamarind Chick Pea Puree, and a Berbere Rubbed Dry Aged Ribeye served family-style alongside Oxtail and Bone Marrow Bordelaise, Red Bean Sofrito, Carolina Gold Rice, Charred Cabbage with Smoked Carrot Yogurt, Foie Gras Cornbread Stuffing with Calabrian Chili Oil, just to highlight a few. Pricing at Kith and Kin will range between $9 to $15 for small bites, $12 to $26 dollars for entrees, between $22 to $65 for family-style and sharable dishes and portions, and between $13 to $17 for handcrafted cocktails. Kith and Kin menus and pricing are still in the process of being finalized by Chef Onwuachi and team and will be announced in the coming weeks along with additional details surrounding key members of the Kith and Kin staff.

“I’m excited to share Kith and Kin with Washington DC as this next culinary chapter has become so very personal to me and my life story”, says Chef Kwame Onwuachi. “I took some much needed time to step away, reflect, travel, and dig deep into my past and heritage in search of what I wanted to do next in regards to my culinary career and it was the powerful memories of cooking for and alongside family and friends that truly struck me to my core. Cooking from my heart, showcasing the soul food of my life, and celebrating my diverse Caribbean, Creole, and African roots feels honest – like home to me – and I want to share this with as many diners as possible in a creative, personable, and modern way while still boasting warmth and comfort. I have grown to cherish these beautiful cuisines throughout my life and I want guests to feel like they are dining in an extension of my home the second they walk through the doors at Kith and Kin. I spent time growing up in the Bronx in New York City watching and assisting my mom with her catering company, I’m fortunate to have family roots on my father’s side in Nigeria and was able to spend two years from ages of 10 to 12 living in Nigeria with my grandfather where I was taught invaluable lessons about respecting food including every single ingredient from raising animals and produce to paying respect to the animals used for meals – and whole animal utilization, to the rich flavors from my travels and memories living and visiting family in New Orleans. To be able to bring all of these warm and bold flavors to the table in a modern way while still creating crave-worthy comfort food-style dishes is something I can not wait to share with everyone. I want Kith and Kin to open new doors for diners, to educate them, and to excite them.”

Although InterContinental has full ownership of Kith and Kin, the InterContinental team fully supports Chef Onwuachi’s vision including making sure he has every thing he needs in order to bring Kith and Kin to life.

Kith and Kin is located within the InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf at 801 Wharf Street, SW, Washington D.C. with plans to open in October 2017.”