Business
Baltimore Chef Cooking up National Success
WASHINGTON INFORMER — It’s easy to think that personal chefs are only for the rich and famous.
By Stacy Brown
It’s easy to think that personal chefs are only for the rich and famous.
However, many top-notch cooks such as Baltimore’s Dorien Murphy regularly answer the call to pack up their pots and pans, spices and all the groceries needed to make delicious meals for everyday folks.
With a solid 5-star rating on Thumbtack, Murphy counts as a multi-venture owner and chef and he leads the development of the personalized culinary industry.
After attending Morgan State University and earning a degree in culinary arts from Baltimore International Academy, Murphy founded Cheffin, a uniquely curated food center for households in Baltimore, the District, Philadelphia, New York and other locations.
“My interest in cooking began at a very young age,” Murphy said. “At 5 years old, my passion for cooking was inspired by my parents. They always playfully battled in the kitchen. Mom had the best sides while Dad made the best ribs and sauce. That passion was expounded upon as I watched primetime Food Network programming.”
Murphy, who cites Emeril Lagasse, Bobby Flay and G. Garvin as his favorite chefs, said the culinary industry has never been an easy one and that he’s had his own share of unique challenges.
“Balancing my love for business and culinary arts was the initial challenge,” he said.
Murphy grappled with how to satiate his entrepreneurial hunger through culinary arts.
“The recipe led me to the creation of Cheffin, a personal chef consortium,” Murphy said. “The next challenge was centering the Cheffin values around health and creating menus that were uniquely wellness based that clients would buy into. The solution to both challenges was found through passion, perseverance and patience.”
When he’s hired to cook for families in their homes or at other locations, Murphy readily informs his ultimately satisfied customers that he has a few favorite dish combinations that are inspired by the art of French and Italian cuisine that’s delivered with an American flair.
Among those are his Chilean sea bass with rosemary forbidden rice, corn bisque, and scorched sweet peppers.
“The Chilean sea bass is a warm and renewing dish,” Murphy said. “I love how hearty yet delicate the bass is. Its flakiness lends well in consuming complete bites of the corn bisque and forbidden rice.
“The scorched sweet peppers add some smokiness to the dish where all other components are light in flavor. It is definitely one of my favorites for sure,” he said.
The noted cook also features “Chef Dorien’s Winter Salad,” which includes poached shrimp and baby kale with shaved fennel, spiralized red beet, Kumato tomato, and maple vinaigrette.
“The winter salad is a joy and refreshing like the first snowflake of the season upon your tongue,” Murphy said. “I love how robust and healthy baby kale is. It really holds well on the plate and bonds with the stab of your fork. Baby kale is lightly bitter, it pairs with the sweetness of the spiralized beet and maple vinaigrette.
“The beet compliments the salad with a subtle saccharine tartness,” he said. “Its crunchy sweet texture helps balance the acidity and harsh licorice of the rice wine vinegar.”
With a background that’s steeped in the culinary arts and hospitality industry, Murphy has worked for luxury hotel companies as an executive, health auditor and consultant.
But his culinary journey began as a cook at the Elkridge Country Club in Baltimore, where he said he honed his skills.
That African Americans are now receiving more attention in the culinary world obviously isn’t lost on Murphy, he said.
“I believe that African Americans are continuously emerging as tastemakers in the United States,” he said. “The evolution of hip-hop, the prevalence of African Americans in the athletic landscape, fashion and business industries has advanced the acceptance of black culture in mainstream American life.
“America has become more accepting of the African-American voice and image, and as such, it has become more aware of the value African American expression has in a Caucasian-dominated profession,” Murphy said. “Black chefs have distinctive relationships with flavor and cooking that add tremendous value and variation to the culinary industry. It is very difficult to deny or prevent the progression of food and African American culture is an integral piece of this growth.”
This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.
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Oakland Post: Week of May 28 – June 30, 2025
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Oakland Post: Week of May 21 – 27, 2025
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OPINION: Your Voice and Vote Impact the Quality of Your Health Care
One of the most dangerous developments we’re seeing now? Deep federal cuts are being proposed to Medicaid, the life-saving health insurance program that covers nearly 80 million lower-income individuals nationwide. That is approximately 15 million Californians and about 1 million of the state’s nearly 3 million Black Californians who are at risk of losing their healthcare.

By Rhonda M. Smith, Special to California Black Media Partners
Shortly after last year’s election, I hopped into a Lyft and struck up a conversation with the driver. As we talked, the topic inevitably turned to politics. He confidently told me that he didn’t vote — not because he supported Donald Trump, but because he didn’t like Kamala Harris’ résumé. When I asked what exactly he didn’t like, he couldn’t specifically articulate his dislike or point to anything specific. In his words, he “just didn’t like her résumé.”
That moment really hit hard for me. As a Black woman, I’ve lived through enough election cycles to recognize how often uncertainty, misinformation, or political apathy keep people from voting, especially Black voters whose voices are historically left out of the conversation and whose health, economic security, and opportunities are directly impacted by the individual elected to office, and the legislative branches and political parties that push forth their agenda.
That conversation with the Lyft driver reflects a troubling surge in fear-driven politics across our country. We’ve seen White House executive orders gut federal programs meant to help our most vulnerable populations and policies that systematically exclude or harm Black and underserved communities.
One of the most dangerous developments we’re seeing now? Deep federal cuts are being proposed to Medicaid, the life-saving health insurance program that covers nearly 80 million lower-income individuals nationwide. That is approximately 15 million Californians and about 1 million of the state’s nearly 3 million Black Californians who are at risk of losing their healthcare.
Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California, doesn’t just cover care. It protects individuals and families from medical debt, keeps rural hospitals open, creates jobs, and helps our communities thrive. Simply put; Medicaid is a lifeline for 1 in 5 Black Americans. For many, it’s the only thing standing between them and a medical emergency they can’t afford, especially with the skyrocketing costs of health care. The proposed cuts mean up to 7.2 million Black Americans could lose their healthcare coverage, making it harder for them to receive timely, life-saving care. Cuts to Medicaid would also result in fewer prenatal visits, delayed cancer screenings, unfilled prescriptions, and closures of community clinics. When healthcare is inaccessible or unaffordable, it doesn’t just harm individuals, it weakens entire communities and widens inequities.
The reality is Black Americans already face disproportionately higher rates of poorer health outcomes. Our life expectancy is nearly five years shorter in comparison to White Americans. Black pregnant people are 3.6 times more likely to die during pregnancy or postpartum than their white counterparts.
These policies don’t happen in a vacuum. They are determined by who holds power and who shows up to vote. Showing up amplifies our voices. Taking action and exercising our right to vote is how we express our power.
I urge you to start today. Call your representatives, on both sides of the aisle, and demand they protect Medicaid (Medi-Cal), the Affordable Care Act (Covered CA), and access to food assistance programs, maternal health resources, mental health services, and protect our basic freedoms and human rights. Stay informed, talk to your neighbors and register to vote.
About the Author
Rhonda M. Smith is the Executive Director of the California Black Health Network, a statewide nonprofit dedicated to advancing health equity for all Black Californians.
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