Memphis chef Phillip Dewayne on his new restaurant, his journey and more

Years before realizing he had a talent for food, Phillip Dewayne studied architecture in college. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t a good match.

So he gave up hope of finding a better path for himself. He got a job washing dishes at The Peabody and was promoted to line cook.

More than a decade later, Dewayne recently opened his second restaurant, The Archives Bar & Bistro, at the Napoleon Hotel in downtown Memphis.

The Raleigh native has cooked for Young Dolph players, the Memphis Grizzlies and other celebrities, earning widespread acclaim for his culinary creations.

Now the rising star of the Memphis culinary scene is ready to raise her profile.

“My love for Memphis comes from being a black kid who can show other young black entrepreneurs that it is possible,” he said. “(Archive) is my second restaurant venture without investors or partners. No one else is involved and technically I am an accidental entrepreneur.”

“God’s Fold”

Dewayne grew up in Raleigh, a northeastern suburb of Memphis that was annexed into the city in the 1970s. Since then, the neighborhood has experienced many challenges and triumphs, like many predominantly black communities across the country.

“This kid from Raleigh needed a job,” Dewayne said of the series of events that led him to the food industry after dropping out of college.

He got a job washing dishes at The Peabody Hotel and was later promoted to line cook. This led him to Chez Philippe, which allowed him to cook under José Gutierrez – Memphis’ only master chef – before moving to San Diego to work as executive chef at the award-winning Hotel del Coronado.

But all that cooking and moving around burned out the young chef. The answer to fatigue was to join the Navy.

“I call this part of my life ‘The Garden of the Gods,’” said Dewayne, a Raleigh-Egypt High School graduate. “I thought God wanted me to do something different.”

Dewayne’s “Boskafold” began when his military career was cut short after an allergy attack resulted in his medical discharge. He finally answered the call and returned to the kitchen.

“Shortly after that, I started cooking for Young Dolph, Grizzlies players and other celebrities,” he said. “Over time (the word spread) just by word of mouth.”

As a personal chef, Dewayne has had the opportunity to cook in some of the most exotic locations in the world. Instead of wearing expensive sunglasses and living like a celebrity, he immersed himself in the culinary traditions of each culture and absorbed their techniques.

“I would learn from these places and incorporate it into my own cooking,” he said of the culinary lessons learned in places like Jamaica and Cabo. His travels had a huge impact on his own cooking and presentation. Word of mouth led to the founding of Recover, his “body-friendly” meal subscription service, and allowed his profile to grow in the city.

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“Chance of a Lifetime”

Dewayne’s growing reputation earned him a call from Dixon Gallery & Gardens in 2019 looking to open a new café. It’s a time that Dixon’s co-director, Kevin Sharp, says he remembers clearly.

“I made up my mind: This was the guy,” Sharp said of the day Dewayne unveiled his culinary vision for the space. “I hope this will be a relationship that lasts for a long, long time.”

Shortly thereafter, Dewayne opened his restaurant, Park + Cherry, in the mall and calls it “the opportunity of a lifetime.”

“It changed my life and now we are the exclusive caterer for this place,” he said.

Dewayne’s talent is also appreciated throughout the NBA, including at home with the Memphis Grizzlies.

“My family and I love working with Chef Dewayne to create amazing dining experiences in our home,” said Taylor Jenkins, head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies. “His creative and diverse cuisines continue to be family favorites. Above all, Chef Dewayne’s infectious and engaging personality in the kitchen always makes meals enjoyable.”

His combination of talent and charm keeps him high on the lists of culinary collaborators with other Memphis luminaries.

“In addition to his incredible skills, his charismatic personality brings a special energy that guests and team members alike can’t help but admire,” said TyRon Wells, internationally sought-after creative director of Memphis-based Wells Design Co.

Chef Phillip Dewayne’s team

Chef Phillip Dewayne LLC – the engine that powers all of his businesses – functions thanks to the efforts of people like Chef Christopher Wills, Dewayne’s sous chef for over four years, and Betsy McKay, the company’s director of sales and administration. With a solid team in place, Dewayne said he is ready to grow from a locally known name to a household name.

He attributes his success to the village of people who created space for him and supported his vision.

“People always talk about how much I do, but I think the only thing that’s missing from most (of my recognition) is my amazing team.”

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“I never know what I’m going to do (next, but) we signed with Obsidian PR and the future looks very promising,” he said of his reluctant decision to accept help from the Memphis-based company. “They have been so great to work with that it’s funny how much I resisted this move before.”

And it all happened because a kid from Raleigh “needed a job.”

Ellen Chamberlain is a food reporter at The Commercial Appeal. Say hello or send story suggestions to [email protected]

Chef Phillip Dewayne in Memphis

You can find out more about Chef Phillip Dewayne’s business here:

Recover: recoverymeals.com

Park + Cherry: dixon.org/parkandcherry

Bar and Bistro Archives: hotelnapoleonmemphis.com/the-archives

Memphis chef Phillip Dewayne on his new restaurant, his journey and more

“God’s Fold”

“Chance of a Lifetime”

Chef Phillip Dewayne’s team

Chef Phillip Dewayne in Memphis

By meerna

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Memphis chef Phillip Dewayne on his new restaurant, his journey and more

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