WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Solomon Johnson smiles as he remembers the moment he fell in love with food - show and tell day in kindergarten.
"Most kids bring toys, but I wanted to make tiramisu and bring it to the class so everyone could share," he explained. "My mom was like, 'Well, how do you do that?' And I was like, 'We just need lady fingers and espresso liqueur!'"
Now, decades later, the smell of garlic confit and made-from-scratch sofrito permeate his kitchen at Bussdown D.C., where Chef Johnson serves up pan-African soul food. Nothing here comes from a can or a freezer.
"I still stand behind that food philosophy of trying to get as many whole food products to the Black and brown community as possible," he said.
That's the dream Chef Johnson brought to the District when he returned home from California last year, despite some doubters. "I've been told no by people I used to work for," he said, "that this isn't possible, that this isn't something I should pursue."
He spent more than a decade working in kitchens on the West Coast, earning his stripes. He even won an episode of the competition show "Chopped" on The Food Network. What he didn't anticipate were the obstacles of opening a small business post-pandemic, like rising meat prices due to inflation.
"I didn't have somebody holding my hand and guiding me through this. This is all grassroots," he said.
After opening in June 2023, Chef Johnson made the difficult decision to close his doors at the end of the month. "I'm exhausted," he explained. However, his dream of owning a restaurant in his hometown remains alive. He's calling this a temporary reset.
As the only Black-owned small business at Western Market, he wants to ensure that others like him aren't discouraged by his story. "A lot of my passion for this is really to inspire people who look just like me and have that same vision to follow exactly what they want to do," said Chef Johnson.
That's how he's keeping faith that Bussdown D.C. will be back. "Just a whirlwind of emotions right now," he said. "I'm hopeful."
Chef Johnson has set up a GoFundMe to help with reopening his restaurant in the future.