It’s not every day you meet someone as self-assured and positively infectious as Rashad Frazier. The chef and professional outdoorist boasts a zeal and thirst for adventure so strong it led him to launch Camp Yoshi, a luxury adventure travel company for Black and brown folks. Since we last caught up with Rashad in early 2021, he hasn’t slowed down one bit. From Tanzania to Baja California, the father of three is constantly leading the most epic adventures––he and his co-founders have even more unbelievable trips planned for 2023.
After graduating from Howard University in '09, Frazier cut his teeth in New York City, first in banking and then in the culinary world. “I pretty much spent most of my career in food service as a chef,” he says. “I had a catering company for a long time, almost eight years.” As the food industry, and the rest of the world, shut down in early 2020 due to Covid, Frazier was left asking himself, what’s next? A quick pivot found Frazier curating experiences outdoors for childhood friends and family.

Photography by Alex Forestier
Since launching Camp Yoshi in late 2020, Frazier has found himself constantly on the move, yet he’s remained incredibly grounded. Talking to him, you get the sense that even though he’s been incredibly successful––Camp Yoshi has since more than doubled the number of trips they offer, and even collaborated with corporate partners in 2022––he isn’t phased. In fact, he’s more laser-focused on his mission to get more people of color in nature than ever.
We recently caught up with Frazier to learn more about how his experience as a chef has helped him transition to a full-time outdoorsman, what advice he would offer to others looking to make a pivot, and of course, what Danner boots he packs for Camp Yoshi adventures.