The first-generation Ghanaian-American who competed on Bravo’s Top Chef: Kentucky in season 16, among other shows, and currently hosts Food Network’s Wild Card Kitchen establishment, is bringing Africa to the nation’s capital in a daring way. It’s not just through the spices or stories on the plate but in the convivial atmosphere.
Elmina, which means gold mine and is the site of the former transatlantic slave trade in Ghana, gives a nod to the country’s key exports, including sugarcane, cotton, tobacco, timber and indigo, through its rooms. The Sugarcane Room serves as a sensory bridge between worlds, inviting visitors to feel what Ghanaians feel, according to Adjepong.
“When I think about Ghana, I think about the weather and the warmth … in the Sugarcane Room it feels very tropical, it specifically doesn’t have [air conditioning]. I wanted it to feel like you sorta have been transported a little bit,” he told the AmNews.
Adjepong said the best time to be in the room is at “nighttime — when the sun goes down, you can really get a sense of an Accra night.”
Besides guests getting an authentic Ghanaian feeling while dining, when it comes to his food, his Jollof Duck Pot is also a taste of his roots. “It’s a blend of two things,” he said. “It’s a very traditional dish in [the] sense that it’s jollof rice, as in like my grandmother would have made it, and then we are adding some contemporary touches like duck. The duck is duck breast, duck leg, and duck egg. The duck legs have been brushed with tamarind glaze.”
Elmina has been passing muster since its opening in February 2025, with diners like Annette Koroma and her friends taking to the restaurant to celebrate her birthday and enjoy the Halal options.
“The amazing part of this restaurant is the fact that they provide Halal options for people that are Muslim, so it’s a great opportunity for us to eat clean, so that’s a great thing,” Koroma told the AmNews, adding that she also came to experience the upscale Ghanaian recipes.
With Washington recognized not only as the nation’s capital but also as a culinary center, Adjepong said tourists traveling from his home state to D.C. should know that at Elmina, he’s telling a story that bridges his heritage with his journey through kitchens and cultures.
“It’s a unique look at what Ghanaian food can be from now, from 2025 and beyond,” he told the AmNews. “I grew up loving these flavors and the ingredients and dishes, and I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about and express how I’ve been influenced by where I’ve worked, where I’ve lived, and the people I’ve been around.”
Adjepong also said the Food Network is a big inspiration of his and all of his experiences melt into what he thinks about food. “West African food is one of the most delicious and the fact that I can do it in this form, and in this beautiful space with an amazing team, I’m very blessed.”
Asked why is it important for someone with his background to be in the nation’s capital as a chef, Adjepong said, “I’ll leave that up for the people to answer, that’s not for me to answer. I hope I make an impact, and I hope it’s a positive one.”
“Like any type of art, I can’t dictate what the public is going to think about what I do. I can put my best foot forward and that’s what I can control, [along with] making sure the quality is there, the service and hospitality and effort behind the hospitality is there. Then I’ll let the public decide,” he added.
For more info, visit elminarestaurant.com.