Melba Wilson Net Worth | Son

What is Melba Wilson’s net worth? Who is Melba Wilson’s son?

Introduction

Melba Wilson is a famous American businesswoman and restauranteur who owns and manages multiple successful chains across New York City.

Her business empire is located in the Harlem neighborhood of New York, where it continues to grow.

The Origin Story

Melba Wilson was born in New York, USA.

Her mother and father were originally from the south, which is where they adopted the deep-rooted cooking culture.

Wilson has recalled on many occasions her memory of her family centering their culture around food. She refers to food as the tie that keeps that family connected and together.

Her family has played a significant role in building her empire, and she still has very close ties to them. In fact, many of her immediate family members work with her in some capacity.

Wilson spoke publicly about how one of her aunts helped her break into the restaurant business. But what helped her become the success story that she is was her grandmother sharing with her very old family recipes that go back generations.

The Road To Success

From a young age, the restauranteur knew that whatever career path she would take, she would stay in Harlem and give to the community in some way.

Wilson always understood the value of hard work, so she happily started working from a young age.

Her first paying job was as a cashier in Harlem when she was merely a teenager.

As a working professional, Melba was teaching acquittal law for a company in Harlem, but this job gave her no satisfaction.

As such, she resigned and began to work for her aunt at their family-owned restaurant.

Melba enjoyed the job so much that she committed to working in many different capacities, including being a cashier, hostess, and manager.

After a few short years, Wilson was promoted to the assistant catering manager position.

Working for her aunt taught her a whole new appreciation for the restaurant industry, and opened her eyes to the potential she had in running her own.

Opened Her Renowned Restaurant

Melba imagined her life as a successful restaurant owner and decided to turn it into a reality.

It was her years of interactions with countless stakeholders that taught her everything she needed to know about the restaurant business, and she used it to her advantage.

She decided that she would build a diner franchise that was set up in a way that made the customers feel like it was their home.

Wilson also wanted to make her soon-to-be-diner a celebrity hot spot; therefore, she knew it was essential to commit to high standards.

In 2005, Wilson launched her first restaurant, Melba’s.

The restaurant didn’t just hit the ground running, over a few years, it became the recipient of several awards.

Wilson become became a local icon and was praised for her entrepreneurial spirit.

She was also recognized as one of the few restaurant owners who specialize in homemade food created by generational recipes.

Food Network

As a result of her growing restaurant’s popularity, she was invited as a guest on the Food Network.

Melba competed with Bobby Flay for who could make the best chicken.

To no surprise, Wilson won the show and took home her prized possession — a boosted ego.

The show was aired on the uber-famous American talk show, “The View,” which not only propelled her popularity but also made an impact on her restaurant.

Her dream of owning a celerity hotspot was about to come true.

New York City Hospitality Alliance

Wilson went on to launch the New York City Hospitality Alliance, which has become a renowned organization that has nearly 200 employees.

The success of the organization led Wilson to become a leading voice in the association’s mission.

The Great Soul Food Cook-Off

In 2021, she was contacted by the OWN Network, owned by Oprah Winfrey.

She was offered to be a judge on a game show with some of the nation’s top cooks as contestants.

And of course, this is a dream come true for any seasoned chef and restauranteur, so she accepted the offer.

The Great Soul Food Cook-Off was filmed in 2021 but aired on the OWN Network on May 6, 2022.

Melba’s 550

While Wilson was already successful prior to the airing of the show, her restaurant began to experience success like never before.

Melba was elated with what came of the show’s airing, so she decided to take her increase in wealth and invest it in a new location in Newark, New York. The new restaurant is called Melba’s 550.

By this point in her life, she had become a celebrity in her own right, and her restaurant was sought-after by locals and tourists alike.

As such, when she decided to expand into Newark, city officials made a public announcement that her restaurant would be opening on Broad Street.

The new location is in a repurposed historic building, but it has a separate entrance, distinguishing it from other establishments.

What makes this location unique is how Wilson refurbished an old bank into a restaurant. She decided to replace the original bank vault for one of the restaurant’s seating areas, which has customers impressed. 

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Son

Melba Wilson has a son named Salif Cisse. The father is Salif Cisse–Melba’s ex-husband.

“Once I became a mother, my priorities shifted,” Melba told Self.

Melba Wilson – Net Worth

So, how much is Melba Wilson worth?

Wilson earned most of her wealth from managing her restaurant.

Melba is the author of the cookbook – “Melba’s American Comfort.”

She was also featured on Food Network’s “Throwdown with Bobby Flay,” “The Great Soul Food Cook-Off,” and more.

Therefore, Melba Wilson has an estimated net worth of $3 million.

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