one of Marcus Samuelsson’s childhood memories took place inside. Growing up in Gothenberg, Sweden, the acclaimed chef, who was born in Ethiopia, spent much of his time on the water fishing or in the forests foraging for mushrooms or lingonberries. His uncles, professional fishermen, would take him with them for their daily catch. Surrounded by a vibrant food culture, Samuelsson apprenticed in kitchens in Switzerland, Austria, and France before moving to New York City in the 1990s. He channeled his love of soccer into long runs through Central Park and beyond, exploring the culinary mecca mostly on foot. He ran and in-line skated his way through Manhattan, first as an apprentice at Aquavit, a Scandinavian restaurant in Midtown, and then as its executive chef. There, Samuelsson became the youngest chef to earn a three-star rating from The New York Times. Samuelsson, now 54, still runs through the city, often dreaming up dishes for his new restaurant, Marcus Addis, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
I think it’s because I’m Ethiopian. I grew up watching sports, and Ethiopian runners did really well. Like them, I found it easy to run. It was something in my veins that I enjoyed, and I’m light on my feet. I played a lot of soccer as a kid too, but as I grew up and started working in kitchens—having less time for team sports—I started running just to run. Running gives you freedom.
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