A Modern Soul

Baltimore native and chef/owner of H3irloom food group and chopped grand champion, David Thomas is the true embodiment of his culinary catchphrase,

“Modern Soul” 

Though a relative latecomer to a career in food, Chef Thomas has always had one foot in the kitchen. As a youngster he was introduced to farm-to-table cooking by his grandmother, Anna Poole Thomas. An African-American woman of Blackfoot Indian heritage, Anna fed her family almost exclusively with the things she raised on her 13-acre property. While his siblings and cousins played outside, David spent Sundays tucked away in a corner of Anna’s kitchen, perched on a stool, watching her turn out simple but delicious meals. There he learned the important lesson that quality ingredients are the foundation of good food.

“I found my calling in southern food. You take that first bite and you can taste the history.”

In 2012, Chef Thomas and a business partner opened their first restaurant in Baltimore: Herb & Soul, a farm-to-chef, local and sustainable carry-out. Within six months, they had built such a demand and following that they transformed the tiny carry-out into Herb & Soul: Gastro Cafe & Lounge, which went on to become a 4.5 star restaurant. A second location, a food truck, and national recognition soon followed.

IDA B’S TABLE

Although the dissolution of that partnership lead to the closing of Herb & Soul, David was soon approached by a local non-profit news organization that wanted  to open a restaurant concept in Baltimore. Recognizing that this melding of journalistic integrity and his depth of knowledge about southern cooking and ingredients would give him a canvas for a bold new interpretation of soul food, he set to work designing a menu. In September 2017, Chef David Thomas opened Ida B’s Table in partnership with The Real News Network. The restaurant features a drawing room in addition to the main dining area, lively bar space and Archive, a bookstore and speakeasy. In the spirit of its namesake, journalist and activist Ida B. Wells, it is a place where the truth is honored and ideas are exchanged. Chef Thomas has made it the restaurant’s mission to bring light to the history of Soul Food, and illuminate its future. As he notes,  “It is the food that gives us strength.”

With Ida B’s well established and continuing to win accolades from both local and national press, David’s new goal is to bring his mission to reclaim the narrative around African American cooking and soul food traditions to more prominent platforms.

RECENTLY

In March of 2020, at the beginning of the shutdowns due to Covid-19, Chef David Thomas and his wife, Tonya stepped away from Ida B’s Table.

This decision came just after they went to West Africa with Roots To Glory where they went to explore their heritage and their roots in food.

Throughout the pandemic, Chef David and Tonya have been busy at work building their legacy. They began the process of writing a cookbook that will look into history and focus on sustainability in African American food ways. They started a talk show segment on Instagram Live with @BlackFoodFolks called Modern Soul Conversations where they talk to Black folks in the food industry who are moving the food industry forward into the future.

In the middle of the summer of 2020, Chef David, along with Tonya took a trip to South Carolina with a group of culinarians, restaurant professionals, and historians. They visited St. Helena Island: home of the Geechee Gullah Community. There was such a calling and drive to preserve the food ways that have existed in this community for generations that they all began The Muloma Heritage Project. Muloma is a Mende word meaning “We are together.” Muloma Heritage Center is working at the crossroads of culture, cuisine, sustainability, agriculture, and ecology. Muloma honors the past for the sake of the present with their spirits set on a bigger future. The group immediately looked for land to call home in South Carolina. Based on 38 acres on historic St. Helena Island in the South Carolina Lowcountry, they are creating a mindful and reverent space where all parts of the Diaspora can break bread and share ideas. Muloma honors the richness of the past and its ties to the present while protecting that legacy and its role in future innovations and evolving stories of African Atlantic culture, cuisine, and traditions.

In 2020, Chef David and Tonya Thomas also began the massive undertaking of starting a catering business named H3irloom Food Group. The H3irloom Food Group is the latest culinary venture from David and Tonya Thomas, in partnership with The Maesner Group. H3irloom Food Group is a multi-dimensional culinary organization spanning catering, events, educational platforms, and sustainability through farming. The 3 in H3irloom represents the familial bond between the founding partners as a nod to their past, present, and future together. With its deep significance in African culture and religious traditions around the world, the number 3 serves as a continuous reminder to bring reverence to each and every part of the dining experience. H3irloom Food Group captures food service creatively and completely.

Chopped

Chef David Thomas has now competed on Food Network’s Chopped competition three times.

The first episode, Thanksgiving Pie! Oh My! (Season 40 Episode 2) aired November 2018. With judges Martha Stewart, Amanda Freitag, and Marc Murphy, Chef David was able to breeze through the competition utilizing not only his skill in the kitchen, but also his heritage, constantly circling back to the roots of soul food. With his winnings, Chef said, “I’m going to take my family to where it all started: Africa.”

He was asked in the beginning of 2020 to come back and compete in Chopped Champions (Season 44 Episode 11) where they brought back 16 past winners to compete for the ultimate title of Chopped Grand Champion. With judges Scott Conant, Chris Santos, and Angie Mar, Chef David Thomas, once again, earned the title Chopped Champion by listening to the words of his wife, Tonya: “When you go up there, don’t be anyone other than yourself.” Sticking to his culture, heritage, and roots, Thomas was able to impress the judges every round. This win allowed him to continue onto the next round in the Champs Challenge.

Chef David Thomas, on February 18th, 2020, appeared once again on Food Network’s Chopped. Again, sticking to his roots “on the shoulder’s of (his) ancestors,” he went up against the three other winners of the Chopped Champions tournament. They were all the best of the best. Throughout the competition, each competitor commented on, not only were the baskets much more difficult, but the chefs were all that much harder to beat. The judges (Giorgio Rapicavoli, Amanda Freitag, and Scott Conant) were judging on every little detail as one has to when talking about the Chopped Grand Champion. In the end, they named Chef David Thomas the Chopped Grand Champion.

Chef David Thomas has gone undefeated three times in the Chopped Kitchen.