The Obama Foundation announced Monday that its long-awaited presidential center on Chicago’s South Side will include a comfort-food restaurant named in honor of Tafari Campbell, the former White House and personal chef who died in a paddleboarding accident near former President Barack Obama’s Martha’s Vineyard estate in July 2023.

The restaurant, Tafari’s Kitchen, is scheduled to open alongside the Obama Presidential Center during its grand opening on June 19.

The sprawling project has taken more than a decade to develop and has drawn scrutiny over the substantial public investment surrounding the site.

Taxpayers have covered hundreds of millions of dollars in infrastructure improvements, including roadwork, transit enhancements, and utility upgrades tied to the development.

According to the foundation, the restaurant’s menu will draw inspiration from the Obama family’s personal history and favorite recipes.

Chicago chef Cliff Rome and Bon Appétit Management will lead the culinary operation.

Among the featured dishes will be “Mrs. Robinson’s Red Rice,” a recipe honoring the late Marian Robinson, Michelle Obama’s mother.

Campbell joined the White House culinary staff during the administration of George W. Bush and remained through the Obama years, eventually serving as a sous chef.

After Obama left office in 2017, he and his family asked Campbell to continue working for them as their personal chef, a role he accepted.

In announcing the restaurant, the Obama Foundation described Campbell as “a warm, fun-loving, and humble soul who used his immense gifts and passion for food to spread joy and bring people together.”

The restaurant will also feature a portrait of Campbell, painted by actress Kate Capshaw, displayed inside the dining space.

The Obamas themselves described Campbell as a “beloved part of our family,” issuing a statement that reflected on his years of service.

“When we first met him, he was a talented sous chef at the White House, creative and passionate about food, and its ability to bring people together,” the statement said.

“In the years that followed, we got to know him as a warm, fun, extraordinarily kind person who made all of our lives a little brighter,” the Obamas added.

“That’s why, when we were getting ready to leave the White House, we asked Tafari to stay with us, and he generously agreed,” the statement continued.

“He’s been part of our lives ever since, and our hearts are broken that he’s gone,” the former first family added.

Campbell, 45, died on July 24, 2023, following a paddleboarding accident near the Obama family’s residence on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.

Authorities launched a search after receiving reports of a paddleboarder struggling in the water. His body was later recovered from Edgartown Great Pond following an extensive search involving local and state agencies.

According to investigators, a paddleboarder who was with Campbell saw him standing on his board and then lost his balance before falling into the water.

Officials determined that his death was an accidental drowning and found no evidence of foul play.

Police reported that Campbell was not wearing a life vest during the incident. His body was later found about 100 feet from the shore, according to AP News.

The Massachusetts medical examiner ruled the death as an accidental drowning due to submersion.

Following his death, Barack and Michelle Obama released a statement describing Campbell as a beloved part of their lives.

The Obamas were not at the Martha’s Vineyard home when the accident occurred, the New York Post reported at the time.

The opening of the Obama Presidential Center on June 19 will conclude a project that has generated both excitement and criticism.

Taxpayers have funded hundreds of millions of dollars in public infrastructure costs surrounding the campus, located on Chicago’s South Side.

While the foundation itself is privately funded, the expenses for the roads, transit lines, and utility work necessary to support the site have been borne by the public.

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