As part of the Vine series on leadership, The Root's Omar Wasow interviewed the Ethiopian-born, Swedish-raised celebrity chef about code switching, the difference between eating expensively and eating well, and the unique role of today's African-American leaders.

"Being able to be in many different worlds is really an opportunity," he says. "I can talk to you about Africa in depth. I can also talk to you about middle-class life in Sweden and I can definitely talk to you about being a Harlemite. I see food as my window to engage in conversation."