'This is food heaven': Englewood chef David Fuller lives his dream to get his greens to a national audiences

CHICAGO (CBS) -- From the city's south side..to the national stage.

A chef and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) teacher is accomplishing a long time dream, all while inspiring his students. As CBS 2's Steven Graves explains,  it's part of a journey spanning more than two decades.

"That's cabbage and this is straight collards."  

If you are a fan of the soul food dish collard greens or not, chef David Fuller will try to convince you he has the "World's Greatest."

"Take a traditional staple and made it heathier."

No meat cooked into this dish. It is all about the seasoning. Whether it be in a grilled cheese or egg roll.

"It gives it the essence of ham hock without the ham."

His "World's Greatest Greens" is a brand and he's showed it off to food industry leaders in Chicago, Tuesday. Fuller's big debut at the National Restaurant Association Show in McCormick Place.

"I was like 'this is food heaven.'"

That's what a college-aged Chef Fuller said on his first visit to the show as a culinary student.

"I was like one day I'm going to have a booth," Fuller said. "African Americans are underrepresented on this show floor."

Making it to this national stage did not happen overnight. We're talking 25 years for Fuller to get to this point. His love of the culinary arts, growing in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, where he was born and raised.

"It started on Mother's Day 1988 bussing tables and washing dishes."

He perfected his craft from age 15. Leading to his food in Midwest region grocery stores, including the former Englewood Whole Foods' hot bar. Fuller now gives back by teaching at Chicago Vocational School, bringing his students to this show to let them know it is possible.

"In just about all segments of the industry, there is a glass ceiling that existed," Fuller said. "Especially for a young Black male that was ambitious, talented, learning, certain positions I just couldn't apply for or get into. But that didn't stop me."

And he's still going. The goal here is to get his greens distributed nationwide. While inspiring the young kids seeing him here, to do it even bigger.

This story is just one of many CBS 2's Steven Graves is working to tell right now, about the people and places that make Englewood such a resilient neighborhood.

To see more of his reporting, and send in a story idea of your own, check out "Steven Graves: Embedded"  in the community journalism section of our web site, CBS Chicago/Englewood. 

In:
• Chicago
• Englewood