Charlie Mitchell made history as the first Black Michelin-starred chef in New York City — and he's shifting the culture in more ways than one

• Charlie Mitchell made history in 2022 as the first Black Michelin-starred chef in New York City.
• Mitchell is a cofounder and executive chef at Clover Hill, a restaurant in Brooklyn Heights.
• He told Insider that while his accolades are exciting, he still has more to do.

There's a saying out of Detroit that speaks to the will of those from Motor City: "Detroit vs. everybody."

In a way, Charlie Mitchell, the executive chef at Clover Hill located in Brooklyn Heights, could definitely take on that mantra.

But over the sizzling oils and clanking of pots and pans as his staff prepares for the impending day's rush, Mitchell, 31, exudes a peaceful calmness over the phone during a warm afternoon in July.

At Clover Hill, there's no air of pretension or the anxiety you see onscreen in shows like "The Bear" and "Top Chef." Instead, Mitchell wants his staff and customers to feel how he feels when cooking — happy, creative, and confident.

With over nine years of experience, Mitchell has worked at some of the most heralded fine-dining institutions in the country, including Betony and the iconic Eleven Madison Park.

He made history in 2022 by becoming the first Black Michelin-starred chef in New York City, a sweeping accomplishment in the hospitality industry, especially considering he's only the second Black chef in America to earn the accolade.

"I don't know if it's changed me much, but I think it definitely inspires you to keep going when you're set on a path or you have a goal in mind," Mitchell told Insider. 

"And also for the restaurant, it definitely gave us more energy to, 'OK, hey, we're doing a good thing, we're having a good product,'" he continued. "'We actually have a place in this industry in New York City now.'"

Eating at Clover Hill is an intimate experience, seating only 26 people inside the artfully curated interior (think: painted white brick walls, plants on shelves, classic wood tones). It's also a delicious one, as Mitchell and his staff switch up the menu each season, which includes an eight-course variety of cuisine featuring seafood, pork loin, and truffles for $265.

The menu is ever-evolving, but so is the chef behind it. This appreciation for maturing and changing led to more success when in 2023, Mitchell was named a James Beard Emerging Chef finalist, another coveted moniker for tastemakers and restaurateurs.

Fostering

Mitchell, who is self-taught, said he owes his love of the craft to his grandmother. "I saw how happy food made people and decided I could do it for a living," he told Insider.

While Mitchell and his parents were born and raised in Detroit, he told Insider that his grandmother's hometown of Macon, Georgia, and his Midwestern upbringing influenced his dishes.

"You know, cooking is a very personal thing, in my opinion, especially the way I do it," Mitchell said. "You tend to get very emotional about your food and then you want people to love it. We have an open kitchen and guests can see me all night. They can tell me to my face if they hate it. And I'm just happy no one has so far."

Mitchell told Insider that while he's learned a lot in his role as executive chef, he keeps a level head thanks to his staff and strives to foster a welcoming, creative environment — something that's often not shown in high-powered restaurant movies and shows.

"You know, chefs have a really bad rap for being mean and yelling," he said. "We don't want to do that. We want to have a restaurant culture where we're not doing that."