Meet the Chef · Washington, DC
Meet the Chef de Cuisine of Dōgon, Washington DC: Martel Stone on the Hoe Crab and a Kitchen That Sings
From the Navy to a French omelet to the Kwame Onwuachi ecosystem — the chef de cuisine of the MICHELIN Guide's Dōgon on the dish that tastes like home, the best table in the house, and the secret Friday-night playlist.
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Along the Southwest Waterfront, inside The Potomac Hotel, Autograph Collection, Dōgon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi has become one of Washington's most talked-about tables — a MICHELIN Guide–listed restaurant named for the Dogon people of Mali and inspired by Benjamin Banneker, the self-taught astronomer who helped survey the capital's original boundaries. Running its line day to day is Chef de Cuisine Martel Stone, a Chopped Next Gen winner who came up through the Kwame Onwuachi ecosystem and now helps translate its Afro-Caribbean vision into service. We sat down with him to talk about the dish every first-timer should order, the best seat in the house, and what he wants a guest to feel walking out the door.
"Dōgon is more than a place to dine — it's an experience that celebrates culture, community, and the rich stories told through food."
From the Navy to the Kwame Ecosystem
Stone's path into cooking began, improbably, with a single plate. After leaving the Navy, he met a woman who made him a French omelet — and that moment, he says, sparked his interest in cooking. He took a job at the Founders Inn in Hampton Roads, Virginia, where he got his early training under Chef Jarrod Himes. In 2017 he came to Washington to work for Chef Kwame Onwuachi at Kith & Kin, and, as he puts it, he has been in the Kwame ecosystem ever since — a through-line that now runs straight into the Dōgon kitchen.
Ask what he is proudest of, and he points to New York. He is most proud of the run he had cooking with "Resident" in NYC — the first time he was cooking food he called his own. Those dinners, he says, shaped the modern style he cooks with today.
What to Order First
For a first visit, Stone does not hesitate: the BBQ Chicken & Jollof. The dish is special to him, he says, because it brings together two things he loves — Chef KO's classic jollof rice and a chicken preparation inspired by his own mother's grilled chicken. Growing up in a house with six siblings, he knew exactly what was coming whenever his mother brought out that old, rusty red grill; the smell alone was enough to bring everyone together. Her chicken was beautifully charred, savory and sweet — the kind of food that made you forget about utensils and go straight to licking your fingers.
With the Dōgon version, he wanted to capture that childhood memory and bring it to life in his own way. The kitchen takes that nostalgic grilled-chicken flavor and builds on it with three different barbecue sauces, creating layers of sweetness, smoke, char and depth in every bite. Paired with Chef KO's jollof, he says, it becomes more than a dish — a little piece of home, a celebration of family, and a reminder of the food and memories that shaped him.
Defined by Maryland Crab
Ask Stone which ingredient defines the menu, and his answer is pure DMV. The menu, he says, is defined by the hoe crab — you simply cannot have a restaurant in the DMV without Maryland crab. It is a dish, served crab-forward in the shell with shito and plantain cakes, that roots Dōgon's wide-ranging, diaspora-spanning cooking firmly in its own backyard.
That diaspora is exactly what has him most excited about where food is going. He is energized by the celebration of the African diaspora now playing out in restaurants — kitchens cooking African and Caribbean food, and the modernization of Black Southern cuisine. It is the same current that runs through Dōgon itself.
Where to Sit, and When
Stone has a precise answer for the best seat in the house: table 44 or 60, each with a direct view of the kitchen in all its glory. And he has an equally precise time — Friday night at 8:30 PM, when the lights come down and the room switches over to what he calls the "DOGON Year 2 C side," a playlist on Spotify that, he jokes, Chef Kwame doesn't even know about. (You, reader, are now in on the secret.) That, he says, is when the dining room comes alive and starts to sing.
The Feeling That Matters Most
For all the precision of table numbers and playlists, Stone measures a night by how a guest feels. When people walk in, he wants them to feel curious and welcome — to understand that the luxury, the food, the stories and the people are all there to celebrate them, and all the things that connect us. And, he adds with a grin, he wants them to feel hungry.
Beyond the Restaurant
When someone asks Stone where else to go in DC, he sends them to his absolute favorite: Copycat Co. on H Street. It was the first place, he says, where he felt at home and welcomed outside of his hometown of North Philly — a personal pick rather than a tourist one, which is exactly why it lands.
As for Dōgon itself, he makes the case in terms of story. It is more than a place to dine, he says — an experience that celebrates culture, community, and the rich stories told through food. Guests can expect a thoughtful expression of diaspora influence, global inspiration, and bold flavors, carried along by that "DOGON Year 2 C side" playlist and the hospitality around it. Every visit, he says, is a chance to experience something memorable — where the food has a story, the atmosphere feels welcoming, and guests come as friends and leave as family.
Dōgon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi — At a Glance
- Chef de Cuisine
- Martel Stone
- Chef & Owner
- Kwame Onwuachi
- Restaurant
- Dōgon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi
- Property
- The Potomac Hotel, Autograph Collection
- Cuisine
- Afro-Caribbean — African diaspora, DMV roots
- Recognition
- MICHELIN Guide–listed
- Signature dishes
- BBQ Chicken & Jollof; hoe crab
- Address
- 1330 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024
Plan Your Visit
Dōgon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi, a MICHELIN Guide–listed restaurant inside The Potomac Hotel, Autograph Collection, serves vibrant Afro-Caribbean plates on Washington's Southwest Waterfront. Reservations are recommended and open on Resy. Reserve a table or plan your stay.
Reserve a TableFrequently Asked Questions
Who is the chef de cuisine at Dōgon in Washington DC?
Martel Stone is the chef de cuisine at Dōgon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi. A Chopped Next Gen winner, he trained under Chef Jarrod Himes at the Founders Inn in Virginia and has worked within Kwame Onwuachi's kitchens since joining Kith & Kin in 2017.
What should I order on my first visit to Dōgon?
Chef de Cuisine Martel Stone recommends the BBQ Chicken & Jollof — Chef Kwame Onwuachi's classic jollof rice paired with a chicken inspired by Stone's mother's grilled chicken, finished with three barbecue sauces for layers of sweetness, smoke and char. The hoe crab is another signature.
What kind of food does Dōgon serve?
Dōgon serves boldly flavored Afro-Caribbean cuisine that celebrates the African diaspora, with African, Caribbean and modern Black Southern influences and DMV roots — including Maryland crab. The menu favors shareable small and large plates.
Where is Dōgon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi located?
Dōgon is located inside The Potomac Hotel, Autograph Collection, at 1330 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20024, on the city's Southwest Waterfront.
Is Dōgon in the MICHELIN Guide?
Yes. Dōgon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi is listed in the MICHELIN Guide, which highlights its boldly flavored, diaspora-spanning plates such as the hoe crab.
How do I make a reservation at Dōgon?
Reservations for Dōgon are recommended and can be made on Resy through the restaurant's website, dogondc.com, up to 28 days in advance. A bar area also welcomes walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis.
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