Meet Sam Jordan, The Entrepreneur Bringing Afro-Caribbean Luxury To LA’s Dining Scene – Essence

Sam Jordan didn’t set out to change LA’s food scene, but three years after conceptualizing Lucia, his modern Afro-Caribbean restaurant has become the city’s most coveted reservation. And if you know anything about LA’s dining scene, you know this is no easy feat! 

Within weeks of opening in the historic Fairfax neighborhood, the space has attracted everyone from Cardi B to 2 Chainz, proving that Jordan’s gamble on elevated Caribbean cuisine was exactly what LA needed.

Lucia’s story starts far from the sculptural palms and glamorous booths it’s now known for. Jordan, a University of Maryland graduate (go Terps!), spent his early career as a Capitol Hill staffer before a life-changing move to Spain opened his eyes to sophisticated dining culture. “I ended up falling in love with the gastronomy and the style of restaurants, the nightlife and the social culture out there, because it was just so different than anything that I was used to before,” Jordan recalls.

That Spanish immersion led to a Master’s degree in Business and Hospitality Management from the University of Barcelona, but it was his subsequent travels throughout the Caribbean that truly shaped his vision. Jordan visited nearly every island in the region, from Jamaica to St. Barts, absorbing the diverse culinary traditions that would eventually inspire Lucia’s menu.

Inspired by everything he’d seen—and tasted—abroad, Jordan came back to LA ready to put this to good use. He was able to then gain invaluable experience as a partner in restaurants like Olivetta, learning the intricacies of LA’s dining scene while identifying a glaring gap in the market. “As a young black guy in LA, whenever I’m going out to all the popular restaurants, all their celebrities, athletes, people go to, none of them are owned by us,” he explains. “I wanted to have a space that was welcoming to the culture and from the culture and for the culture.”

Still, something kept bothering him. Why was Caribbean food always boxed into casual spots, when other cuisines got to be defined as “upscale” dining? He recognized that Caribbean cuisine, despite its universal appeal, had been relegated to mom-and-pop establishments while other cuisines enjoyed the full spectrum of every type of experience. “There’s no reason that there is Chinese restaurants that come in, everything from mom and pop shop to super luxury and Japanese restaurants that come from small sushi restaurants to the Nobus of it. This type of restaurant exists in every cuisine besides the diaspora cuisine,” Jordan observes.

With his concept clear, Jordan faced the crucial question of location and his final choice to situate Lucia in Fairfax was deeply strategic. Jordan remembered the neighborhood’s pre-pandemic glory days when Supreme drops and album release parties made it the epicenter of LA’s cultural zeitgeist. Though the pandemic devastated many of the area’s independent businesses, Jordan saw opportunity in the district’s gradual revival. “We see the potential for it to come back and be in full swing and we want to be part of that movement that brings it back,” he says.

And while location is truly everything, Jordan knew that the inside needed to represent the outside. And if you get a chance to check this spot out in person the next time you’re in LA, you’ll truly understand why he just “gets” it. Not only is the design visually stunning but the restaurant’s design reflects Jordan’s commitment to authenticity without gimmicks. Working with a design team that understood his vision from the start, he created a space that subtly references Caribbean elements—shell-like booth structures, tropical flora-inspired bar fixtures, and oyster pearl lighting—without hitting guests over the head with obvious island decor. “We wanted to pull a lot of elements from the islands and from the region into the space without it being hit you over the head, super obvious, and decor,” Jordan explains.

This attention to detail extends to every aspect of the operation, from the carefully curated DJ roster to the innovative cocktail program led by beverage director Melina Mezal. The drink menu demonstrates the same elevated approach as the food, with creations like the oxtail old-fashioned, where whiskey is marinated with actual oxtails for over a day to create unprecedented flavor pairings. Really and truly, a beverage approach I’ve never seen anywhere else.

Of course, the bar can only carry you so far, because what’s great drinks without the food to match? It may seem like an odd question when it comes to highlighting a new restaurant, but also important knowing that a lot of buzzy restaurants priioritize vibes over good eats. Thankfully for Jordan, and our taste buds, he wanted both. And to get it, he partnered with with Executive Chef Adrian Forte, a Jamaican native with experience at Café Boulud and Top Chef Canada. Their Pepper Pot Oxtail, prepared Guyanese-style rather than the expected Jamaican preparation, represents the kind of distinct and rare choices that set Lucia apart. “We’re not here trying to please everyone with every dish. We perfected these dishes to the point that we’re very proud of them,” Jordan states.

Of course, curating the menu is just one piece of the puzzle. Operating as a Black-owned business in the luxury hospitality space brings unique pressures that Jordan is acutely aware of. “We know what’s going to happen if there’s an incident at our restaurant. We know what’s going to happen if we’re not as hospitable as we want to be,” he reflects. This reality drives the team’s commitment to excellence, with Jordan emphasizing the importance of ensuring every guest leaves on a positive note.

The early success has exceeded expectations, but Jordan maintains perspective about Lucia’s trajectory. After nearly three years from concept to opening, he’s allowing himself to savor the moment while planning for the future. The immediate priority is launching a late-night menu, addressing another gap in LA’s dining landscape where quality options disappear after 10:30 PM.

Jordan hopes Lucia becomes proof for the next wave of Black chefs and restaurateurs: you don’t have to water it down to make it work. “I want people to be able to feel comfortable taking the risk of being like, ‘I want to dive into this and do it authentic and do it, don’t try to make it a California LA version of what you want to do, go all out,’” he advises.

With Lucia still in its soft opening phase and already generating unprecedented buzz, Jordan has demonstrated that there was indeed room in LA’s dining scene for elevated Caribbean cuisine. More importantly, he’s shown that Black entrepreneurs can claim their space in luxury hospitality by staying true to their vision and refusing to compromise on excellence.