In a world where food is both culture and survival, Colette Burnett stands at the intersection of culinary excellence and global advocacy. Best known as a celebrity chef and winner of Throwdown with Bobby Flay on Food Network, Burnett has transformed her visibility into a platform for social change, leading the charge for food security, sustainability and community empowerment as founder and CEO of Global Food Warrior.
With an upcoming appearance in a Netflix documentary currently in production and bold plans to spotlight Tobago through ecotourism and the Tobago Blue Food Festival — highlighting root vegetables such as cassava — Burnett is redefining what it means to lead with purpose, proving that food can be both art and activism.
From Banking to the Kitchen to a Global Movement
Burnett began her professional journey in business banking, developing expertise in finance, strategy and entrepreneurship. Her passion for food led her to open her former restaurant, Super Wings, in Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean — home to one of the largest concentrations of the Caribbean diaspora in the United States.
There, she witnessed firsthand how food could bring a community together and evoke cultural pride, even in the face of widespread urban food deserts that limit access to nutritious and culturally relevant foods.
[Additional Read: Mompreneur Dr. Corrie Amos is Bringing Jamaican Flavors to Kitchens Everywhere with The Spice Theory]
A Mission Rooted in the Sustainable Development Goals
It was through Super Wings that Burnett realized her platform could extend far beyond the restaurant. She founded Global Food Warrior, an organization dedicated to food security, education and advocacy across the Caribbean, Africa and urban communities in the U.S.
The organization seeks to address systemic inequities in food access while empowering local farmers, artisans and young people. Although Super Wings has since closed, the spirit of connecting communities through food lives on in the initiatives Burnett continues to spearhead.
“Health in many urban communities with food deserts continues to be heavily impacted by what we eat and the pesticide content we ingest,” Burnett said.
Global Food Warrior’s work aligns closely with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Burnett emphasizes the connection between food quality and public health, particularly in underserved communities.
“Climate action is a big one for us,” she said. “We pay attention not just to making sure people have food to eat, but to the kind of food they’re eating. The type of food, the quality of food — that’s what really matters.”
Youth, Technology and the Next Generation of Changemakers
Through programs such as youth gardening, digital storytelling and tech-driven advocacy, Global Food Warrior cultivates a new generation of food justice leaders, showing that empowerment grows when education meets action.
“We have to focus our efforts on young people and technology — especially social media — because that’s where viral conversations are happening,” Burnett said. “But it’s also about reconnecting them to the land. When you teach a young person how to grow something — a tomato from scratch — and they’re able to eat what their own hands have grown, that tomato tastes different from the one you buy in the supermarket.”
Burnett’s work also acknowledges the geopolitical and economic forces shaping global food access.
“We have to move with the geopolitical climate at all times,” she said. “Politics and business are intertwined, whether we like it or not. When there are shifts, we must be bold and courageous enough to stand in the gap. Leaders of several islands have shared that if the food supply chain is interrupted, they have at most one month’s food to feed their populations. That is an extremely scary but likely scenario, especially with increasing tariffs in the region.”
Her leadership approach emphasizes courage, foresight and collaboration, allowing Global Food Warrior to respond dynamically to local and global challenges. By engaging communities directly and partnering with local and international organizations, Burnett ensures programs remain sustainable, culturally relevant and impactful.
Reintroducing the World to Tobago
The Cassava Food Festival, currently in development, aims to reintroduce the world to Tobago by blending ecotourism, culinary heritage and climate-conscious agriculture. The festival will provide a platform for local farmers, chefs and artisans while showcasing the island’s rich food culture.
Through this initiative, Burnett hopes to connect tourism, food justice and economic empowerment, demonstrating how sustainable practices can generate global interest while benefiting local communities.
“Climate, culture and community are intertwined,” she said. “When we highlight Tobago’s foods and farmers through events like the Cassava Food Festival, we are showing that food is a bridge to understanding, economic growth and environmental responsibility.”
A Legacy Beyond the Kitchen
From captivating audiences on television to inspiring global food security initiatives, Burnett demonstrates that food is far more than sustenance — it is a tool for empowerment, advocacy and social change. Her career reflects a rare combination of culinary excellence, strategic vision and heartfelt community engagement, proving that one person with a clear mission can create meaningful change on both local and global scales.
Burnett is not just feeding people — she is fueling a global movement.
Get involved: https://globalfoodwarrior.com/
Colette Burnett
Founder and CEO, Global Food Warrior
