Craig Samuel

Samuel co-founded B+C Restaurant Group with Ben Grossman in 2006, opening The Smoke Joint in Brooklyn, followed by the Peaches family of restaurants. Born and raised in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, Samuel developed his culinary foundation through training at The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College and experience in acclaimed kitchens, including Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia. His career has combined culinary craft with the practical demands of developing and operating successful hospitality businesses. He is also a familiar face to television audiences through appearances as a judge on Food Network programs including Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay.

At CommonWealth Kitchen, Samuel joins a board committed to advancing the organization’s mission of transforming the local food economy by strengthening the capacity of diverse entrepreneurs, creating connections, and expanding access to the tools and resources needed to start and grow successful food businesses.