Chef Tristen Epps, who just won Season 22 of Bravo’s Top Chef, grew up the son of a single mom who was a JAG, a lawyer with the military. That meant he moved about 16 times before the end of high school—from Guam to the Philippines—and was exposed to a wide range of cuisines from a young age. His travel background, along with family roots in Trinidad, led to a deep appreciation for food and cooking, and also a desire to both celebrate and elevate Afro-Caribbean cuisine. Now, on the tail of his high profile Top Chef win, he’s on a path to opening a fine dining restaurant in Houston called Buboy – a tribute to his grandfather’s nickname. And his goals for Buboy are ambitious, as he looks to bring Afro-Caribbean cooking in the United States to the Michelin-star level. We’ll talk about all that, plus the years he spent working at the Greenbriar in West Virginia, how his step-father’s unfortunate passing mid-season affected his time on Top Chef, and how he’s embracing his identity as a Southerner and a Houstonian.For more info visit: southernliving.com/biscuitsandjamBiscuits & Jam is produced by:Sid Evans - Editor-in-Chief, Southern LivingKrissy Tiglias - GM, Southern LivingLottie Leymarie - Executive ProducerMichael Onufrak - Audio Engineer & Editor/ProducerJeremiah Lee McVay - ProducerLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices