MEET CHEF TAM

Chef Tamra Patterson was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas is known by most as Chef Tam, she is the owner of Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe in Memphis, TN and Chef Tam's Express in Arlington , Tx .

 

The Cafe in Memphis has been opened since March 2017, though a transplant to the city she’s made it her own. The Cafe’ is located started out the highly sought-after Cooper Young Area of Memphis, Tennessee right in the heart of Midtown. Chef Tam moved to a much larger location January 2020 on 668 Union with multiple floors and private dining room options. Chef Tam comes from a long line of Cooks, Bakers, and Restaurant Owners. Her Maternal Grandfather owned a BBQ Restaurant, Her Father Owned a Homestyle Restaurant all of her youth, and her Paternal Grandmother who she affectionally calls Nanna was a Professional Baker.

​

April 22nd, 2018 Chef Tam made her Food Network Debut, Appearing in Guys Grocery Games, where she beat out three classically trained chefs with her soulful Bayou Lovers rendition of Mac and Cheese filled with crab and Shrimp, Peach Cobbler French Toast candied cayenne bacon, and soul pizza good enough to knock your socks off, it was, get this a collard green pizza. She was also featured in Essence Magazine that same month. That Summer she dashed across the T.V Screen again in A Burger Battle for Champions on Guys Grocery Games, and then later in the summer was a featured competitor on Ultimate Summer Cook-Off, on Food Network as well. Within a few months of being open, Chef Tam was nominated Best New Restaurant in Memphis and Best Overall Food in the city. Her Family and its legacy and its love of amazing food are what has driven her no matter the obstacles she’s faced.In April of 2022 Chef Tam Chopped away at the competition to winner Chopped on Food Network , and she was also featured in Taste of the South Magazine just a few weeks later. 

While Chef Tam has fed many notable celebs, from Grammy Award Winners, Actors, Producers, NBA Champions and NFL players, and even Comedians, she doesn’t dub herself as a Celebrity Chef, she loves being a Chef of The People. The smiles that the customers give after they have eaten a meal at the cafe are all the notoriety she needs.

​

While expansion plans are in her sights Chef Tam plans on expending in every state where her family may have been owned. She loves history especially her family history . The restaurants no matter the size  must all have the feel, “it's like being in your Grandma’s House”. Chef Tam’s Underground Cafe sits on the Union Ave in Memphis , TN  and you’ll find her there Tuesday - Saturday 11-7 , putting her spin on what she loves to call Cajun Soul Food Fusion . The Cafe is filled with her family history from her great grandfathers draft card , to a custom built tables that houses all of her grandmothers hand written recipes and family pictures . She smiles knowing that every detail of the cafe oozes her love for her family, every picture hanging is a picture of my family members, that for me is love, that for me is life.