It's the 'season of the Black chef' in Los Angeles

"When it opened last fall, Somerville immediately became one of the city's toughest reservations. The first fine-dining concept from partners Ajay Relan, Yonnie Hagos and Issa Rae of Good Vibes Only (GVO) hospitality group, the glitzy supper club is a sepia-toned tribute to South-Central, named in honor of the Central Avenue hotel where musicians like Duke Ellington and Billie Holiday once stayed while touring jazz and blues clubs along the busy thoroughfare. This month, it was ranked on The Times' 101 Best Restaurants guide."

"For the last half-decade, the local restaurant industry has been struck by one disaster after another: the COVID pandemic, writers' strikes and most recently, devastating wildfires and immigration raids, all inflamed by factors such as a decline in tourism, rising rents and labor costs, plus increased tariffs on imported goods. And yet, there has arguably never been a better time to be a Black chef or restaurant owner in Los Angeles, according to 13 interviews with changemakers this fall and winter."

Diners in evening wear queue before Somerville opens, seeking last-minute tables or bar seats. Somerville, opened last fall by Ajay Relan, Yonnie Hagos and Issa Rae, became one of the city's toughest reservations and pays tribute to South-Central's jazz history. Other sought-after openings include Lucia on Fairfax and Linden on Sunset, blending Caribbean fare, late-night dining and live music. Over the last half-decade the industry endured COVID, writers' strikes, wildfires, immigration raids, declining tourism, rising rents and labor costs, and higher tariffs. Despite these pressures, Black chefs and restaurant owners in Los Angeles are gaining prominence and building on generational resilience.

Read at Los Angeles Times