When Clover Hill's executive chef Charlie Mitchell earned a Michelin star last year, he became the first Black chef recognized for the honour and was just the second to win it in the U.S.

“I wanted to always, you know, plant my feet here and be a serious New York City chef. So that was always a goal of mine,” Mitchell told NBC's Today.

Mitchell was also named Michelin’s 2022 New York Young Chef Award winner, an honour he received as the restaurant’s executive chef. The Brooklyn-based chef is also a semi-finalist for a James Beard Award in the "Emerging Chef" category.

His menu features an interchangeable eight-course dining experience and offers the best seasonal foods. Items include king crab tartlet, Long Island fluke and Spanish octopus, according to Today.

This chef is breaking barriers in the restaurant world, becoming the first Black chef in New York City to earn a Michelin star — and he’s only the second Black chef nationwide to earn the accolade. @craigmelvin shares his story. pic.twitter.com/9jFsAgejOG

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 17, 2023

Prior to that, he worked at renowned restaurants such as Eleven Madison Park, a New American fine dining establishment in Manhattan's Flatiron District, where he spent years honing his craft. Mitchell also spent a brief time in culinary school but left for on-the-job training.

“I ended up Googling restaurants in the metro area. Got my first real job,” he told Today. “And in that kitchen is where I was like, ‘Wow, like, I love the way they work. I love how professional it is, using ingredients like I’ve never had, I’ve never learned about.’”

Mitchell, who was born in Detroit, developed his passion for cooking from his grandmother and is now inspiring others with his Michelin-star win. Despite the low pay and long hours for entry-level cooking jobs, Mitchell said that Black people should consider a career in the culinary industry, especially in fine dining.

“I think a lot of times, we’re chasing a very different American dream, then to kind of put up with these aggressive environments that are often led by people who don’t look like us,” he told Today.