Born in Gambia, West Africa, Howsoon Cham known as “H.O.” came to the United States at the age of 18. Son of a diplomat, H.O. studied international affairs at Bethany College in West Virginia on a soccer scholarship. During school breaks he worked in local restaurants to help fund his education. Although for a while he did put his degree to work at the Gambian Embassy, his passion for food won out and he decided to become a full time chef.

H.O. began working at restaurants around Washington in 1992, spending three years at Georgia Brown’s as the chef de cuisine under notable chef Cindy Wolf now of Charleston restaurant in Baltimore. He then went on to work at John Harvard’s Brew House for three years as the executive chef, leaving to open Willie & Reeds in Bethesda as executive chef for three years, until the restaurant was sold in 2002. From there he joined James Beard award-winning chef Jeff Buben, working under Peter Smith now of PS 7 restaurant, while also working part-time at Georgia Brown’s. Then in April of 2003, he purchased his first restaurant, Red Ginger of Georgetown, transforming the menu to give the guest delicious Caribbean and Latin American cuisine as well as updating the décor to reflect a more refined dining experience. Chef Cham’s menu reflects the manner with which new American cuisine has been influenced by the diverse fare from around the globe. At present with his new venue Café Tropé, Chef Howsoon brings his explorations in French Cuisine to Dupont Circle while retaining the Caribbean flair his Georgetown guests have come to love and appreciate.