Rahman “Rock” Harper
Encyclopedia
Rahman “Rock” Harper is a chef
, television personality and restauranteur. Rock is known for winning the third season of Gordon Ramsay
's Hell's Kitchen
. Rock discovered his love of cooking in his early teens. Rock became enamored with cooking and the challenge of running a restaurant kitchen, later deciding to become a professional culinary chef. Making the most of his talent and determination, Rock became an award-winning, honors culinary graduate at Johnson & Wales University
(JWU).
Rock has held several positions throughout his career at award winning restaurants such as Café Calliope, Burke Station Restaurant, Planet Hollywood
, BET
on Jazz Restaurant, and Executive Chef of B.Smith’s Restaurant, Ben’s Next Door and The Carlyle Club. Recently, Rock has decided to teach America’s next generation of chefs by becoming an instructor at Stratford University
. As of October 2010, Rock added author to his resume when he wrote his first book 44 Things Parents Should Know about Healthy Cooking for Kids. He has been the National Celebrity Chef for the March of Dimes since 2008.
Most notably, Rock was cast in—and eventually won—the third season of the FOX reality show, "Hell’s Kitchen" featuring world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay. Chefs Marvin Woods, Anthony Bourdain, Rick Tramonto, and Gordon Ramsay, have all influenced Rock's career in the culinary arts.
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
, television personality and restauranteur. Rock is known for winning the third season of Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon James Ramsay, OBE is a Scottish chef, television personality and restaurateur. He has been awarded 13 Michelin stars....
's Hell's Kitchen
Hell's Kitchen (U.S.)
Hell's Kitchen is an American reality-television cooking competition broadcast on Fox...
Early life
Rock was born on July 28, 1977 at San Diego, CaliforniaSan Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
. Rock discovered his love of cooking in his early teens. Rock became enamored with cooking and the challenge of running a restaurant kitchen, later deciding to become a professional culinary chef. Making the most of his talent and determination, Rock became an award-winning, honors culinary graduate at Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University
Johnson & Wales University is a private, nonprofit, co-educational, career-oriented university with four campuses located throughout the United States. Providence, Rhode Island, USA, is home to JWU's first and largest of four currently operating campuses. Founded as a business school in 1914, by...
(JWU).
Rock has held several positions throughout his career at award winning restaurants such as Café Calliope, Burke Station Restaurant, Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood, a restaurant inspired by the popular portrayal of Hollywood, was launched in New York on October 22, 1991, with the backing of Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.-History:...
, BET
Bet
Bet or BET may refer to:* A wager in gambling* Basic Economics Test * Bet , the second letter in many Semitic alphabets, including Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician and Syriac* Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm. See BET_theory...
on Jazz Restaurant, and Executive Chef of B.Smith’s Restaurant, Ben’s Next Door and The Carlyle Club. Recently, Rock has decided to teach America’s next generation of chefs by becoming an instructor at Stratford University
Stratford University
Stratford University is a private, higher educational institution founded in 1976. Stratford specializes in adult education and offers placement assistance for students and graduates. It delivers online, classroom, and blended online/classroom programs....
. As of October 2010, Rock added author to his resume when he wrote his first book 44 Things Parents Should Know about Healthy Cooking for Kids. He has been the National Celebrity Chef for the March of Dimes since 2008.
Most notably, Rock was cast in—and eventually won—the third season of the FOX reality show, "Hell’s Kitchen" featuring world-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay. Chefs Marvin Woods, Anthony Bourdain, Rick Tramonto, and Gordon Ramsay, have all influenced Rock's career in the culinary arts.
Personal life
Rock married Tamara Harper. Rock lives in Woodbridge, VA with his wife and three children.Charity work
- March of DimesMarch of DimesThe March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
- National Celebrity Chef - DC Central KitchenDC Central KitchenDC Central Kitchen is a nationally recognized "community kitchen" that recycles food from around Washington DC and uses it as a tool to train unemployed adults to develop work skills while providing thousands of meals for local service agencies in the process....
- Board Member