The Oakland culinary innovator crafted the ultimate waffle, but that’s only the beginning of her journey

In Oakland, on the east side of the San Francisco Bay, inside Chef Tanya Holland’s original Brown Sugar Kitchen, the atmosphere is cool – until the warm biscuits and Holland herself make their entrance.

Carrying a large silver tray of fresh-out-of-the-oven treats, Holland’s first priority is to serve us. Alongside the plain buttermilk biscuits, she places sweet cream butter and homemade jam. The scallion, cheddar, and bacon biscuits don’t need any extra toppings.

“Eat,” Holland says, and no one hesitates. While buttermilk biscuits aren’t the signature item at Brown Sugar – that distinction goes to Holland’s iconic waffles (which we’ll discuss shortly) – they offer the perfect starting point to understand her culinary philosophy.

Holland, who trained with chefs like Bobby Flay and hosted The Food Network’s “Melting Pot Soul Kitchen,” studied at La Varenne Ecole de Cuisine in France. There, she mastered classical French techniques and explored regional cuisine, ultimately falling in love with the flavors of Provence.

Persevering through challenges

In 2003, after her TV appearances on The Food Network’s “Melting Pot,” Holland was ready to make a move, considering a role as an executive chef in New York City or seeking investors to launch her own restaurant concept, combining French cuisine with soul food classics.

But New York’s notoriously competitive atmosphere caused Holland to reassess her plans and future in the culinary world.

Holland’s determination wasn’t the issue, but the fierce competition was. “If you think you’re one in a million in New York, there are 10 other people just like you,” Holland recalls her father telling her during her struggle to secure industry backing.

With her career in New York seeming to hit a dead end, Holland was forced to reconsider her next steps.

Friends had been recommending Oakland to her, so Holland, originally from upstate New York but with family ties in the Bay Area, decided to make the move westward.

Holland dreamed of opening a French-inspired African bistro called Patois, but her challenges in New York seemed to follow her to progressive California. Despite a strong background with a cooking show and cookbook, she believes that gender and racial biases played a role in her inability to secure a lease for her restaurant.

But she didn’t give up.

Creating a waffle

Holland’s determination eventually led her to West Oakland, where she revised her vision for a restaurant. She quickly realized that her idea for a French-African bistro, though not fine dining, wouldn’t fit in this industrial area.

But perhaps waffles could work here.

“I bought a waffle maker, and thought maybe someone would want a waffle,” Holland says, reflecting on her shift in direction.

“And it turned out they were craving waffles—lots of them,” Holland laughs, referring to her now-iconic cornmeal creation.

At the newly reopened Brown Sugar Kitchen in Oakland, guests can choose the Just the Cornmeal Waffle, served with brown sugar butter and apple cider syrup, or elevate the dish with a side of Holland’s signature buttermilk fried chicken for a classic chicken-and-waffles combo.

Either way, it’s a crowd-pleaser and a great introduction to Holland’s culinary talents—though her abilities and passions extend far beyond the waffle iron.

In many ways, Brown Sugar Kitchen doesn’t fully capture the breadth of Holland’s culinary skills. Her love for French cuisine still shines through, with techniques and precision she honed in French kitchens influencing the Southern soul food served in her Oakland eatery. Holland also draws inspiration from California’s incredible fresh produce.

Leading the way in Oakland’s culinary scene.

Now, the chef is in a position to mentor young women with similar aspirations.

Holland credits the lack of investment from certain white male investors for shaping her path.

“They couldn’t envision me in a leadership role... and that has driven my mission to support young women aspiring to succeed in different areas of the hospitality world.”

Despite facing early challenges in Oakland, Holland remains positive about the Bay Area.

She describes San Francisco as “more welcoming for women in the food industry” compared to New York, noting Alice Waters as a key figure who, according to Holland, “clearly pioneered the California cuisine movement.”

Holland praises Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse for putting her on the map as “the trailblazer in Berkeley cuisine,” before proudly adding, “I like to think of myself as a pioneer in Oakland cuisine.”