Should You Wash Rice? JJ Johnson Settles the Debate
The chef shares his rice expertise as he opens a branch of his restaurant, Fieldtrip, at Atlantis Paradise Island
JJ Johnson might have been born in Long Island, but his cooking speaks to his roots in the U.S. South and the Caribbean. The Culinary Institute of America graduate taps into that rich culture in both his cooking and writing.
In 2019, Johnson received a James Beard Foundation Book Award with co-author Alexander Smalls for the book, Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day. Chef Sean Brock said of the book, ”These stories and recipes lay praise to the immense influence the African Diaspora has had on global cuisine.”
Last year, Johnson wrote a book focusing on a universal dietary staple: rice. In The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Table, Johnson shares recipes from around the globe, showing how one ingredient truly can bring the world together.
Of course, if we’re talking to the person who wrote the book on rice, a debate had to be settled once and for all: Do you wash your rice before cooking it?
There was no hesitation in Johnson’s reply: “You gotta wash your rice.”
Johnson went further. “You have to wash your rice until the water runs clear.” The chef also uses the same method probably used in households across the globe since the first pot of rice was made. “I use the finger method. You put your finger on the bottom of the pot and add water until it reaches the first joint of your index finger.” Johnson says to make sure the rice pot is hot before adding four cups of water to make two cups of rice. “Add salt and it’s perfect,” he says.
Johnson has a theory on why the rinse-or-no-rinse debate is so viral on social media.
“It’s emotional,” he replies. “RIce is culture. Everyone has a perspective on rice. We all grew up on rice and for me, it’s the greatest connector. So when you start talking about rice it gets you riled up. There are all these emotions. Pasta is good, but it doesn’t bring out the same emotions.”
Johnson’s love for rice continues with his fast-casual restaurant chain, Fieldtrip, which features bowls that start with freshly milled, heirloom rice grains and then add everything from crispy chicken to braised beef or falafel. Fieldtrip has several NYC locations (Rockefeller Plaza, Harlem, and Morningside) and has now expanded to the Bahamas with a location at Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island.
Johnson tells Broken Palate that he fell in love with the resort when he was invited to participate in the Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival. “I fell in love with the team,” he says.
When he was asked if he wanted to place a Fieldtrip at the resort, Johnson was elated to open a restaurant alongside top culinary names that already have restaurants on property, including Michael White (Paranza), Nobu Matsuhisa (Nobu), José Andrés (Fish) and Alon Shaya (Silan).
“It’s a chef’s dream to share a space with chefs like Michael White and Alon Shaya. It’s an honor to be in the same realm as Nobu. And José Andrés is saving the world one plate at a time,” says Johnson.
Johnson says that the local flavors and the waters surrounding the Bahamas have been a source of inspiration. “I’m always leaning into local flavors, so we’ll have a conch salad on the menu and local fish. In our Fieldtrip in NYC, we have cod on the menu, but at Atlantis, we’ll have snapper.” Johnson will also offer a bowl based on the Bahamian classic, rice, and peas that will rotate quarterly.
There’s one other difference between the New York City and Bahamas locations, says Johnson. “Atlantis Fieltrip will be a place where you can spike your drinks with rum. We’re leaning into the music, the fun, the people, and magic.”
Although Johnson calls New York home, he plans to travel to Atlantis as often as possible. “My team will be on it, but I’m very hands on and I want people to know me and my food. The greatest thing is that it’s only a two-hour flight from New York.”