Melba Wilson

Melba Wilson
Born
Harlem, New York, USA
RelativesSylvia Woods (aunt)
Culinary career
Cooking styleSoul food
Current restaurant(s)
  • Melba's (2005-present)

Melba Wilson is a Harlem-based restaurateur (Melba's[1]), caterer, cookbook author and a Food Network personality.[2][3]

Wilson has been called both the queen of soul food and comfort food.[4][5]

Bill de Blasio appointed Wilson to the COVID-19 Small Business Advisory Council and she is president of the board of directors for The NYC Hospitality Alliance.[6]

Biography

Wilson is the niece of Sylvia Woods, the founder of Sylvia's Restaurant of Harlem. She was hired to organize the restaurant's 25th anniversary celebration in 1987.[3] Wilson is credited with starting their popular Sunday gospel brunch. She went on to work at Windows on the World and Rosa Mexicano before opening Melba's in 2005.[3]

TV appearances

As well as appearing on the Food Network shows Beat Bobby Flay, Worst Cooks in America, and Throwdown! with Bobby Flay (the latter in which her chicken and waffles dish beat Flay's in season 4),[7] Wilson has appeared on shows such as 60 Minutes and The View.[6]

Publications

  • Melba's American Comfort: 100 Recipes From My Heart to Your Kitchen (2016)[3]

References

  1. ^ "About". Melba's Restaurant. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  2. ^ Longobucco, Alyssa (January 26, 2012). "Former "Fat Chef" Melba Wilson Talks About Her Successful Slim Down". Self. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d Johnson, Martin (April 3, 2016). "Born, Bred and Buttered in Harlem: Chef Melba Wilson Talks About New Cookbook and How Soul Food Is American Comfort Food". The Root. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  4. ^ Wills, Cheryl (June 22, 2022). "Soul food rolls into Wollman Rink". Spectrum News NY 1. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  5. ^ "Harlem's Queen of Comfort Food: Melba Wilson". The Connected Table. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  6. ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (February 24, 2021). "TV Chef, Restaurateur Melba Wilson Signs With Buchwald". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Allan Wolper Talks To Melba Wilson". 88.3FM WGBO. Archived from the original on June 17, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2014.