Nice Guys Finish First | Essence

Under the pale red glow of a neon sign that reads “I love you to the sun and back,” Larry Morrow wears a coy smile. I can read the pride in his eyes as he answers my questions while a photographer snaps away, capturing Morrow’s image as he stands in the physical manifestation of his greatest loves: family, food and business. 

We’re at Sun Chong, his latest eatery, nestled in the heart of New Orleans’s French Quarter. It serves Korean- and Cajun-inspired cuisine, a nod to the two cultures that shaped him. Morrow opened the restaurant as a surprise gift to his grandmother, for whom he named the business. She’s a petite but mighty force who hails from Korea and set down roots in New Orleans. Sun Chong had followed the love of her life—a handsome, 6’1″ Black man—to the United States after they met while he fought in the Korean War. 

Morrow’s Asian-fusion haunt opened in 2023 and as with his other establishments—Treehouse nightclub and Morrow’s restaurant—the patronage has been enthusiastic. “We get busy, and people really love it here—I do, too,” one server tells me over a plate of gumbo dumplings, which the restaurateur and I  devour in a leisurely way about an hour before the dining room opens for the day. In that time before customers arrive, we are able to savor the perfect combination of Cajun soup encased in a steamed and lightly flash-fried dough.  

Without Sun Chong’s loyal crowd, it gives me the opportunity to take in the intricate details of the restaurant’s decor. Blooming hibiscus flowers adorn the walls; the dark and bright colors meet, creating a harmony of stern and soft. It has Morrow all over it. One of the most eye-catching parts is a hand-drawn yong—a dragon from Korean folklore—whose sleek body winds around the eatery’s high beams, up to the dark-painted ceiling. Its powerful countenance hovers above, looking over Sun Chong in a protective stance. This attractive design choice is a pivotal part of Morrow’s story. “‘You’re the dragon of the family,’” Morrow recalls his grandmother telling him. “‘You’re the one that flies high.’” 

Morrow is indeed a hustler. “I’ve always been attracted to winning,” he admits. In his teens, he began promoting nightlife events around NOLA; at age 20, he leveraged his charisma and business savvy to begin putting on his own. His first event netted around $11,000. He then went on to launch an event-production company that drew in such big names as Mary J. Blige, Drake and Floyd Mayweather.  

In a little over a decade, Morrow has gained a reputation in celebrity circles as the go-to person to see when you’re in New Orleans. “I treat people the way I would want to be treated,” he says simply, in his syrupy drawl. “Yeah, I’m a nice guy. I know how to deal with people. And this industry has taught me that you have to deal with a lot of egos, constantly. Over time, I’ve learned to pay attention to people’s wants—and I try to fulfill them, to anticipate them. I learned that early on.” 

Raised by a single mother and his grandmother—two women who led with love without forsaking discipline and strength—Morrow’s foundation was firm. “My mom played the mother and father figures in my life,” he explains. “It helped me grow into the man that I am and gain a deeper understanding of what other people really think and feel.” 

The women ultimately taught him to be a servant leader. Public figures have remarked on his keen attention to customer service, which extends to celebrities and everyday citizens alike. He has a seemingly omniscient-like approach to his businesses. “If I pop up and the music is a decibel too loud, or a napkin is out of place, I can sense it,” he says. This is notable since we’re in a time when the discourse around Black-owned businesses treating customers poorly has reached a fever pitch. Not so in Morrow’s establishments, which, not surprisingly, have become marquee venues for Black nightlife in NOLA—just take a look at the social media reviews.

“I’m kind, but when it comes to business, I don’t play,” Morrow clarifies. 

This story originally appeared in July/August 2024 issue of ESSENCE magazine, on newsstands July 25.