Chef David Thomas is a chef and entrepreneur from Baltimore, MD, where he grew up watching his grandmother prepare culinary masterpieces from scratch. In her small kitchen, he learned at an early age that quality ingredients are the foundation of great food. This is the guiding lesson for his 25+ years in the industry, including Herb & Soul and Ida B’s Table, and the foundation of H3irloom Food Group. In 2020, David and Tonya stepped away from their restaurant to establish H3irloom Food Group with long-time friends Floyd and Linda Taliaferro. Today, the 100% Black-owned company’s portfolio includes ticketed dinner experiences, catering, pop-ups, sustainable farming initiatives, and the award-winning H3 product line, all working together to uplift the Black food narrative and provide a deeply personal approach to the Black food experience that’s rooted in history and culture. Throughout his career, David has been featured on multiple television shows, including Rachael Ray’s ‘Tasty Travels’ and Food Network’s ‘Chopped,’ where he was named Chopped Grand Champion in 2020. Today, David also works on several passion projects, including the Muloma Heritage Center in St. Helena Island, SC as well as a book proposal. Through each of his ventures, David has remained true to his aim of reclaiming the narrative around African American cooking and soul food traditions, sharing its legacy and being part of its evolution.