Mention the name Lionel Simeon, and there will be many puzzled faces, but mention Chez YonYon and there will be a lot of smiles. For more than ten years Lionel Simeon, better known as "YonYon," has been feeding the DC area Haitian community. Around here, he is to Haitian cooking what Emeril Lagasse is to American cooking. Chez Yon Yon provides more than just food; it provides entertainment, news, culture and pride. This Summer of 2004, Chez YonYon will represent Haitian cooking at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, DC.

Lionel came to the area as a former member of DP Express, back in the early eighties. He played and still enjoys playing the trumpet. Every so often you can find him on stage when a band comes to town. As he explains it, "I used to cook for the guys in the band after we finish playing, and they would encourage me to keep doing it." However, Lionel did not see his future as a chef. But, after the band broke up and several odd jobs, Lionel invited a few people over to eat, after a concert, and the rest is history.

Word quickly spread about the man who became known simply as "YonYon," and what was once a hobby became Chez YonYon Catering. He catered small jobs around the community and served carryout from his condominium. Although other "caterers" and restaurants sprang up over time, Chez YonYon remained the most popular and the only official meeting place for the Haitian community. Chez Yon Yon was the spot to go to meet and greet, to learn and to gossip, to talk and joke, to comment on politics or music, to impress a Haitian date or family from out of town. It was also the place where Haitian businesses left their flyers and business cards, and Haitian bals, parties, and get togethers were announced.

Over the years, YonYon met his beautiful wife, Yanick, who has been very supportive of him and his business. Many of Chez YonYon’s customers have watched Phabiene, YonYon’s daughter grow up. Eventually, Chez YonYon outgrew its condo location, and things had to change.

Today, Lionel "YonYon" Simeon is working on the first true Haitian dining experience in the DC area, since "Villa Lakaye," a Haitian restaurant in Hyattsville, Maryland, now an African restaurant and nightclub. Lionel will represent Haitian cooking this year at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which will celebrate 200 years of Haitian culture and history, on the National Mall, in Washington, DC. Chez YonYon won the opportunity after a taste contest by the Smithsonian planning committee. "Oh, man, we did a job on them," explained YonYon. "We gave them a legume, a griot out of this world. We came out well dress and presentable… professional. A few days later we got the call." YonYon has perfected several dishes for the festival that he also plans on incorporating in the new menu for the grand opening of the new Chez YonYon.

The new Chez YonYon is located in a house on the border of DC and Maryland, on the corner of Chillum and Riggs Road. Work is underway for the new and improved restaurant, a Haitian dining experience like none before. YonYon has quietly been working and saving in order to start his dream restaurant. This Summer Chez YonYon will provide not only food, but also an experience to remember. The man known simply as YonYon is bringing a sense of pride to his family name and the Haitian culture.

© EchodHaiti.com, April 2004