Kwame Onwuachi is one of the most exciting chefs in New York City, if not the United States. His latest restaurant, Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, a 2023 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner housed in Lincoln Center’s recently revamped David Geffen Hall, is celebrated for being one of the best interpretations of bona fide “New York dining.” It pays homage to the foods from his home in the Bronx, influenced heavily by African, Latin American, Caribbean and Chinese culinary diasporas—but the inspirations do not stop there.
“For me, [New York dining] means an amalgamation of so many different cultures,” Onwuachi explains. “Growing up in the Bronx, on a four-block radius you could have a Caribbean spot, a Chinese spot, a West African spot, a Dominican place, a Puerto Rican place, a bodega and a barbershop. It’s the people that are making what it is. Of course, you have your staples like hot dogs and pizza, but it’s much more than that. It’s about the people that built the city.”
Young, boundary-pushing and full of mettle, Onwuachi represents a new generation of star chefs and fine dining. His memoir, “Notes from a Young Black Chef,” tracks his culinary career and the hardships working the line at some of the best restaurants in the Big Apple, including Grand Award winners Per Se and Eleven Madison Park. The power of his restaurant Tatiana is in its storytelling: Pulling references from his heritage and travels, Onwuachi emphasizes “a story that has a soul and a through line” among cultures and people.
With his family in the Bronx, celebrations like Labor Day are spent grilling in the park, leaning into the foods of the Creole side of his family. Along with a full spread of ribs and burgers, they’ll have peel-and-eat shrimp or other seafood boils. Nowadays, as someone whose free time is seldom and precious, Onwuachi finds Labor Day is a good time to remember summer vacations past and be a bit of a kid again by spending time outdoors with his niece and the kids in his family.
Lamb and goat are frequently featured on Onwuachi’s menus, a link to his Creole mother and Nigerian father. A core memory from his childhood was frequently eating curry goat cooked by his mother. Those meats are abundant across the globe, he explains, and he is drawn to cooking with lamb and goat as they are more sustainable compared to other red meats and contribute ample flavor to a dish.
At Tatiana, Onwuachi is known for joining flavorings and elements that don’t seem off the bat to go together into an almost-symphonic composition on the plate, such as Nigerian red stew–stuffed dumplings accented with pickled onions, curried snow crab heated by Calabrian chiles or wagyu short ribs seasoned like pastrami and served with Jamaican coco bread.
Onwuachi plays with the orchestration in this dish, rubbing the lamb with Creole seasoning and pairing it with earthy mushrooms and citrusy, nutty hummus. He then tops the presentation with the potent, trendy condiment chili crisp; hailing from China, this oil is jam-packed with different aromatics and textures (depending on the brand), such as crispy garlic and soybeans, ample chili flakes and buzzy Schezuan peppercorns.
For Onwuachi, flavor-packed Creole seasoning is an all-purpose pantry staple that hits all the marks; with plenty of garlic, some floral and herbaceous notes and light spice from paprika, it’s practically a cheat code. Home cooks can choose from a number of brands, such as the widely distributed Slap Ya Mama, but Onwuachi is loyal to Tony Chachere’s and its signature neon green shaker. “If you’re going to use salt, I’d say nine times out of ten Creole seasoning would work better,” says Onwuachi. “That just comes from my upbringing. In the house, we’d use it on everything, no matter what recipe or what nationality, because those spices kind of go with everything.”
This recipe is purposefully proportioned for two people, as Onwuachi feels it’s easier to scale up from that serving size—making the recipe more versatile for any occasion, whether you’re having a shindig with the entire extended family, a dinner party with your closest friends or a date night for two. He suggests serving at least two chops for each person and up to four, depending how hungry they are and what else is served with the meal.
Onwuachi turned to Tatiana’s wine director, Amy Racine, to pick a fantastic end-of-summer wine pairing. (Racine is also the wine director for John Fraser Restaurants, whose Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winners include the 2023 additions La Marchande in New York City and Lilac in Tampa, Fla.) She notes that lightweight reds work really well with the layered spices and richness of Onwuachi’s food.
“This dish in particular, as with many of Chef Kwame's dishes, is great with bright, high-toned, red-fruited wines,” explains Racine. “Wines like Guimaro Mencia [from Spain], Channing Daughters Rosso Fresco [a blend from Long Island], or Teroldego by Foradori [from northern Italy’s Dolomites] are all great here. It plays up the fruitiness of the chili rather than a negative amplification of the spice, and the berry tones play against the game of lamb, similar to how a berry compote works on duck, for example.”
In keeping with Racine’s global selection, our editors picked out 10 fruit-packed, lighter-style reds from different regions—great wines for transitioning from the heat of summer to the early days of fall. While we always suggest serving red wines cooler than room temperature (at around 60° to 65° F), especially in the summer, lighter styles can be chilled down in the fridge to 50° to 60° F to keep them more refreshing.
Creole-Spiced Rack of Lamb with Maitake Mushroom, Hummus and Chili Crunch
Ingredients
- 1 4-bone lamb rack, Frenched
- Creole spice, enough to cover rack
- Kosher salt, as needed
- 6 ounces maitake mushrooms
- 1/2 cup store-bought plain hummus
- 1 lemon, cut into wedges
- Extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 1/2 sprigs rosemary
- 3 sprigs thyme, one with the leaves picked
- 4 mint leaves, torn
- Store-bought chili crisp, to taste (a drizzle for those with low heat tolerance, more if wanted)
Preparation
1. Season the lamb rack generously with creole spice and salt all over and set aside, at room temperature, for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. While the lamb is marinating, separate the mushrooms into 1-inch pieces and set aside. Season the hummus with fresh lemon juice and salt, as desired.
3. When ready, heat a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, nearly smoking, sear the lamb rack, starting with the fatty side down, until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip to repeat the sear on the opposite side, then stand up the rack to sear the bottom before lowering the heat to medium.
4. Place the lamb fatty-side down again, and add 2 tablespoons of butter, 2 cloves of smashed garlic and 1 sprig each of thyme and rosemary to the pan. As the butter melts, baste the lamb for 2 minutes, then flip and repeat. Immediately place the pan in the oven and cook the rack of lamb to medium-rare, 130°F in the center (around 10-15 minutes), or as desired. It’s best to use an instant-read thermometer to achieve desired results.
5. Remove the lamb from the oven and transfer to a cutting board to rest for about 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, heat another pan with 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until nearly smoking. Add the mushrooms and cook until deeply browned, turning as necessary. After 6 to 7 minutes, reduce heat to medium and add remaining butter and garlic cloves, 1/2 sprig of rosemary and a sprig of thyme. Baste for 3 minutes, then season well with salt. Transfer to a paper towel–lined tray to drain.
7. When ready to plate, carve the lamb into chops and lightly season the cut sides with salt. On a plate or in a shallow bowl, swipe a large dollop of hummus in a half circle around the center of the plate. Place mushrooms within the hummus swipe, then top with two lamb chops. Drizzle with chili crunch, top with torn mint and picked thyme and serve with a lemon wedge. Serves 2
10 End-of-Summer Reds
Note: The following list is a selection of outstanding and very good wines from recent tastings. More options can be found in our Wine Ratings Search.
PURPLE HANDS
Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Lone Oak Ranch 2021
Score: 94 | $30
WS Review: Fragrant and gracefully multilayered, with expressive cherry and pomegranate flavors that mingle with black tea and orange peel accents. Ends with fine-grained tannins. Drink now through 2031. 2,300 cases made. From Oregon.—Tim Fish
SELVAPIANA
Chianti Rufina Vigneto Bucerchiale 2019
Score: 93 | $38
WS Review: A racy red, with high-pitched aromas of tart cherry and rose hip signaling the bracing acidity. Intense, picking up wild herbs, mineral, leather and a smoky note on the palate. Shows excellent balance and length. Best from 2025 through 2042. 3,083 cases made, 1,500 cases imported. From Italy.—Bruce Sanderson
PIERRE AMADIEU
Gigondas Romane Machotte 2021
Score: 91 | $40
WS Review: Elegant and high-toned, with expressive blackberry, blueberry and smoked plum flavors laced with violet and white pepper. Delivers dusty earth, sweet tobacco and charred mesquite, which add savory dimension to the pretty profile. The persistent finish is lined with snappy acidity and fine-grained tannins. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2030. 7,800 cases made, 1,400 cases imported. From France.—Kristen Bieler
STOLLER
Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
Score: 91 | $25
WS Review: Fragrant and light-footed, with precise cherry and cranberry flavors, which take on green tea and rose petal accents as this speeds toward vibrant tannins. Drink now through 2031. 9,160 cases made. From Oregon.—T.F.
CAPRAIA
Chianti Classico 2021
Score: 91 | $22
WS Review: This red is highlighted by juicy black cherry and blackberry flavors, with earth and iron accents. Firms up on the lively, persistent finish. Sangiovese, Colorino and Canaiolo. Drink now through 2028. 3,000 cases made, 1,000 cases imported. From Italy.—B.S.
BODEGAS Y VIÑEDOS RAÚL PÉREZ
Mencía Bierzo Ultreia St.-Jacques 2021
Score: 91 | $22
WS Review: Crushed blackberry and boysenberry fruit is dark and ripe in this red, accented by hints of dried lavender, woodsy spices and a subtle underpinning of loamy earth and mineral. Fresh, with light, creamy tannins. Drink now through 2026. 10,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. From Spain.—Alison Napjus
TENUTA DELLE TERRE NERE
Etna 2021
Score: 91 | $21
WS Review: A lively red that dances across the palate, with juicy wild cherry and strawberry fruit, light, fine tannins and fragrant accents of tea leaves, violet, graphite and spices. Drink now through 2028. 11,000 cases made, 1,400 cases imported. From Italy.—A.N.
TOMASSI
Valpolicella Classico Superiore Rafaèl 2021
Score: 90 | $23
WS Review: This expressive red partners a savory base note of fresh loamy earth and an overtone of balsamico herbs and spices with a sweeter profile of juicy plumped black cherry, red licorice, violet and dark chocolate. Fresh and harmonious, with lightly chewy tannins firming the finish. Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara. Drink now through 2028. 12,000 cases made, 5,000 cases imported. From Italy.—A.N.
ALPHA ESTATE
Xinomavro Amyndeon Hedgehog Vineyard 2019
Score: 90 | $25
WS Review: Fresh and minerally, this medium-bodied red features a pure beam of wild strawberry fruit, with violet and dried thyme accents and hints of pastry cream and red licorice framed by light, crisp tannins. Drink now through 2026. 3,350 cases made, 1,100 cases imported. From Greece.—A.N.
FAMILLE PERRIN
Côtes du Rhône Nature
Score: 89 | $15
WS Review: An open, inviting style, with nice range to the sappy cherry, red currant, licorice and dusty earth flavors. Shows good structure, with shaved graphite and fine-grained tannins bringing shape. Subtle smoke, anise and toasted apple wood notes add depth to the medium-length finish. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2027. 10,000 cases made, 10,000 cases imported. From France.—K.B.
