Seattle Chef Wayne Johnson, known for his work in kitchens at the restaurants Andaluca and Ray’s Boathouse, died on Sunday. He was 66.
Johnson suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a bacterial infection after a brief hospitalization, according to a report in The Seattle Times.
The chef was working most recently with the organization FareStart, a program he supported for years that is designed to lift families out of poverty by offering job skill training and experience, while creating meals for nonprofits, shelters and other facilities that address food insecurity.
Johnson began his work with FareStart as a volunteer, but then became executive chef in 2015, and later vice president of culinary operations, and then senior advisor for culinary and community engagement.
He retired at the end of 2023, though he continued to work for the community, serving on the King County Food Systems Advisory Council, and on the board of The Bronze Chapter, an organization that creates opportunities for young people of color to spend time outdoors in nature.
Even while he was working at Andaluca in the Mayflower Park Hotel, where he became executive chef in 1999, and later Ray’s Boathouse in 2012, Johnson would spend nights off working in the FareStart kitchen or helming fundraisers for the organization with guest chef nights.
Johnson also was co-owner of Shuga Jazz Bistro in Renton, Washington. And he appeared on the Food Network’s “Iron Chef” in 2011.
At FareStart, Johnson explained his career by saying, “We learn from others, whether it’s youth, whether it’s older folks, whatever. If we’re open to being better ourselves, we’re going to learn from people. So I really was not trying to stay in a position for 20 years and call it my career. It was always, like, what’s next?”
As news of Johnson’s loss spread, those who knew him in the restaurant industry turned to social media to express their grief.
Edouardo Jordan, chef/owner of the now-closed restaurant JuneBaby wrote that “this has been one of the most interesting years in our industry as we have lost some of our most revered and respected leaders unexpectedly. The loss of you hits home differently,” he wrote of Johnson. “We just talked weeks ago and the voicemail that I left will go unheard. You will be missed Chef!”
Chef Jourdan Cha’taun said Johnson had changed her life. When she was 22, she wrote that a pivotal visit to the Mayflower Hotel’s kitchen during culinary school introduced her to the fine-dining world. “Witnessing a Black chef excelling in this domain” inspired her to pursue opportunities she hadn’t considered before, she wrote.
We Be Jamin’ Bakery posted that Johnson’s “legacy of building community within the food system will live on in all the lives you have touched.”
Eat Seattle Tours posted that Johnson had taught cooking classes for two years, inspiring with his paella and teaching “resilience when kitchen life got stressful.”
Johnson is survived by his wife Sally Hulbush Johnson; sons Tony and Anders Johnson; stepson Darby Blake; his mother, Lula Johnson; and siblings James, Rodney and Marilyn.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.