Chef Simpson On Being Suicidal, Finding His Passion for Cooking, Expanding + More
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What's up?
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Its way up at Angela yee, I'm Angela yee. My
guy Mana is here and somebody we both have in common. Yes,
we both love his food, chef when Ford Simpson is here,
what's up, Chef Simpson?
Speaker 3 (00:11):
I am good, I am good.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
I'm so honored to be up inside the building. I've
been waiting for this minute. I've been waiting for this moment.
Angelaie new MANO.
Speaker 5 (00:21):
The funny thing about that is is as soon as
you came, I heard you was coming.
Speaker 6 (00:26):
I'm like, man, Angela, you never even did his show.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
No, man, what I'm saying, this is what I'm saying,
Like you didn't, you never did this show.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You go over there, you did a show, absolutely, But
first of all, I go over there all the time.
That's to your restaurant. And his restaurant is very conveniently
located in an amazing space right across the street from
the Barclays on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, So it's kind
of like the go to place, and it's huge.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yes, how many people does it see?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
We see three hundred.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
That's a lot in Brooklyn. A restaurant that he's right
across from the Barclays.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Yes, yeah, three hundred and one other thing that for
like about there, and that probably that's why we get
a lot of large parties, like you're a party of ten,
party of eight, because we can hold so many people
at one time. A lot of restaurants you go to,
like the space is just so tight when you sit.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
There, they'd be like, we can't put these tables together.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Yeah, you know, we always try to make it happen. Plus,
we have a private room so when you come through,
we can also see see.
Speaker 6 (01:23):
The private room. We've been in that private room.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Yeah, Angela you day.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
That's actually right afterward we went over to the Simpson
and that's where we all sat down and ate and
celebrated because again right a question, your food is amazing
Caribbean food.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Right.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
The last time I was there, I was celebrating the
day when they gave me my proclamation for May All Day.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yeah, that was a big day. Again. Listening definitely a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Let's get into the business of things because, like I said,
that is a really prime location. And I saw that
you spoke to a realtor and then did not even
take out a loan to get our mortgage to get
that space.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, let me say, right in the middle.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
And a lot of people are just so surprised that
I opened this restaurant right in the middle of the pandemic.
June twenty twenty was when my relator reached out to
me and he's like, Patrick, I have this location in Brooklyn,
while you don't come and look at it. But that
was where the Party City was at. Right next door
to where the Party City at, what was that? And
(02:23):
when I went in there, it was just open space.
Speaker 6 (02:25):
It used to be Tony romas.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
It used to be Tony romas. Was impact when you
have Tony romas.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
And then I think it was Atlantic Social.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Oh yeah, I remember Atlantic Social Atlantic Socials.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
So when I went in and I look in the
window from outside, I put my face up to the
window and I look in and I was like, Yep,
this is it.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
This is it.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
And even it's so funny because you just move in
faith and trust God with everything that you do. Because
even when I said this is it, I know what
it takes. Financially, I didn't even have it, you know,
but I just kind of move in faith and I say,
you know, I love this. I love the location and everything,
and after talking to the realtor here how much was
(03:07):
the rent? Because the rent is ridiculous, Let's just say
it's over thirty five per month.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Over that means a lot of overhead. And it's not
just when you got to pay.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
It's all the bills, is the staff, it's the it's everything.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
It's a lot.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
My payroll alone per week is sixty thousand dollars a week.
My payroll alone.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
All right, we are already yet like three hundred grand. Okay,
you know.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
So there's so much that went into it. And I
remember I went home, I prayed on it. And even
when I made the decision to say yes, contact the road,
we talked, talked to the realtor, and I say, yeah,
I like it. When you drop up the paper together
and the least and everything. They say, okay, you need
three hundred thousand dollars to seal the deal. Wow, including
(03:50):
first month, security, broker, everything that factor into it. I'm
looking at almost three hundred thousand, and I was like, crap,
the only thing I can do now. I searched a
run in the house wherever I can find money.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Whatever I was.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Lifted, I was going in the corner of the couch,
trying to make up, reach out to a couple of
friends and family, and you're taking a five thousand from here,
a ten thousand from here.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Because at the end of the day, when you're owning
a business, it's a lot.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
And I always say this to people. I say, if
you have a problem working at nine to five, try
honing your own business right, or try holding opening a
business because you can't sleep.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yeah, you can't call out. You can't own a business.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
No matter what's happening. You got to show up. You
got to be there at the end of the day
for staff. Say I'm sick, I can't come in tomorrow.
You don't get that luxury. So I eventually, up to
the last day when I'm supposed to sign the lease,
I'm still looking for the last twenty dollars to make
up the two hundred and seventy five thousand that was
(04:50):
out tight everything went and after I signed, after I
signed the lease, and the lease is in my hand,
and I'm like, okay, the next step. God is just
going to leave me through this. So it's all about relationship.
And that's one of the things where I even value
the relationship that we have.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
You men or Angela. He all your team.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
It's relationship that I've built over the years of working
with bb King's Highland Ballroom Sony Hall.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
I was the corporate chef Dinosaur Barbecue.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yea Dinosaur Barbecue on one hundred and twenty fifth Street.
Yeah yeah, I was the kitchen manager there, so over
the years.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Putting your time and I just want to make sure
people know that too, because you know, even knowing your
story and how you went to school and you learned
how to cook and then Royal Caribbean Cruise right you
were working on there, worked your way up to sue
chef because a lot of times people will look down
on you.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
People want to be an entrepreneur right away.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
There is nothing wrong and it's probably way better to
work and get the experience working for somebody else so
that you can eventually do it yourself.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
One other thing where people are so intrigued about my story,
My story is coming from It's coming from homeless, is
coming from poverty, it's coming from three times suicide attempt
So it's coming from the Number two train. Like when
I used to live on Tremont Avenue, I remember going
at the Number two train station and stand there making
(06:15):
up my mind to throw myself in front of them.
That was when I first what put me in that
place and that frame. I remember when I first came here.
You know, you come here, you're under the radar. You're
trying to just get by a lot of things. And
that was when my daughter was just born. And my
daughter born here, I am under the radar, just trying
(06:35):
to get by and ready to get evicted. I remember
I was about to get evicted. I'm looking at my
young daughter there and I'm like, I can't get a job.
It was very hard to get a job and just
going through so much, and I felt like there was
no way out. There was no way out because everywhere
you go you're.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Under the radar.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
A you, I have it because you were.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I was from.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Jamaica, no pas, no papers, so everything was And then
it was when I was about to be evicted and
I'm like what do I do At this point, my
daughter's in the house. I can't provide for her. My
girlfriend is there here, I am with no job. The
court giving me this one shot deal in saying okay,
(07:20):
pay your rent and after this, if not, you're gonna
have to move out.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
So I was like, you know what this and just
my life overall, because here you are coming from Jamaica,
you don't grow up with your father, you're homeless. From school,
It's like you ask yourself, like God, like what's next.
I was homeless. I didn't grow up with my father,
just my mother and my sister. My mother worked two
(07:46):
jobs to try to take care of us, and I'm like,
something gotta give, Like at what point the sufferation stop?
So you get to a point and you're like, this
don't look like it's ever gonna stop because you look
at it. And at that time, I was like twenty
five or something and I'm like, I'm still going through it.
I'm going through it from I was going to the
(08:07):
neighbor's house, and that's what's how I got into cooking.
I got into cooking all the poverty, going to the
neighborhouse and beg for food. And I remember seeing myself
after because I gotta care FORO because then I get emotional.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Go into the neighborhouse and beg for food. And I
remember that time.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
I was like ten eleven and there's this lady by
the name of missus Gloria that lived next door to us,
and every time they cook, I find myself always have
to wash up their dishes, sweep up the yard, beat
a little yard boy for them in doing stuff around
the house that their kids wouldn't do. So this way
(08:47):
I can get some of the food that they have
left over. So that was kind of how I fell
in love with cooking. I fell in love with cooking
from when I would stand at the back door step
and I would watch the family eat and see, Oh,
it brings family together, It brings that conversation together.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
So even though as a.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Little kid, I was hungry, but I was still watching
as to how just like even when I came here
and I brought the food, me sitting back and watch
you guys enjoying it.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
It brings me.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Peace to know that, Wow, you did that. Watching people
having conversation over something that you never had a home,
and you see how they're happy and they're laughing, And
I say, you know what, I want to spend the
rest of my life recreating that. So when people come
to my restaurant and I watch them sit down and
eat and enjoy and laugh and talk, I'm seeing something
(09:41):
that I never had a home. Happening in front of me.
And that's how I got into cooking, right, And you.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Are very present at the restaurant. And even before that,
you've also been a private chef.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Yes, for some huge people like the Obamas.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
The Obamas, I've been to the White House twice a
cook for Laric Clinton. I cooked from Michelle and Barack
and Jay Z and Beyonce, red Cross, Main, No Angela,
he you name it. I've cooked for over four hundred
celebrities from Mary J.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Blige, you named them.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
And the good thing about you is, I know you
said that being on that cruise ship was what helped
you learn how to cook a whole lot of different
variety of things, because you know, when you're on a
cruise it's huge and there's like different yeah, different restaurants,
different types of food, different dishes.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Yes, working on the cruise ship to me, and I
think even when I start working on the cruise ship,
it was my getaway kind of free card from Jamaica
because I remember I was working at Sandals and they
told me that time I just graduated school. They told
me they was doing interview to work on the cruise ship.
I went to sant ans by took the tests pass
(10:51):
the test. Six months after, I was at work at
the hotel and they told me, oh, there's two guys
at the front desk looking for you. I was like
two guys, two white guys, And I walk up to
the front desk and I'm like, okay, what's going on?
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (11:08):
They say, oh, they said, we were sent from Roleagh
Cabrian Cruise Line. You took a test the other day
and we were sent for Mole Cabrin Cruise Line because
you passed with flying scores. So we were sent for
Moral Cabin Cruise Line to bring you up to work
with the company. At that time, I don't have no VS,
I don't have no passport, I don't have nothing. They've said, well,
(11:30):
all you got to do is just say yes and
we'll take care of everything.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
That's amazing, that's like God, that is.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
But let me ask you, was it the cooking that
helped you get out of the dark place from ding
it all?
Speaker 6 (11:42):
Yes, it was said you was there three times.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Yeah, it was a cooking that helped me get out
of it. Because I think when it happened in Jamaica,
I say okay, I have to get away, and that's
when the cruise ship came in, the cruise ship job
came in. I went to work with Rold Cabrin Cruise Line.
Started out as prep cook and work with them for
thirteen years and then when I left, I left as
(12:06):
executive chef and then I say, you know what, I
want to be online. At this point went back to
Jamaica start operating minute bus. But then I missed the
cooking and I said, you know what, this is not me.
I was driving the bus from state to state and
I said, I'm miss cooking. I missed being in the kitchen.
I miss seeing people having a great time around food.
(12:30):
And that was when I start working with Disney World
Disney when they first went Cruise Line, they came into.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
The Disney Magic.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Disney Yes, yeah, they came up with Disney Magic and
I went to Italy bring down the ship. Work with
them for three years and I say, you know what,
I want to be online. So I stopped working with them,
and that's when I start working at Nigri Village.
Speaker 6 (12:55):
That was one off West third.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Yeah, the one that was on twenty third read with
Marv No.
Speaker 6 (13:01):
Fourteen. No.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Fourteen is the one in the village. The original one
was on twenty three.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It was on twenty third, yeah, and between eight and ninth.
Speaker 6 (13:10):
Between eighth and ninth, not the one on fourteenth, and
not the one on west. So there was three of them.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
The one on fourteen is the one. No, that's the
same owner.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
No, there, wester it's on West third, West third.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
It started up on twenty third. It wasn't fourteenth, it
was twenty third, and then it was west third.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
Yeah, no, and that usually no, yeah, not fourteenth, it
was twenty three, it was twenty yeah, twenty third, it
was next It was next door to.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Let me tell you that restaurant when the Girl opened
on twenty Thirstyet we didn't have something like that in Manhattan, No, no,
and like the you know, in that area, in a
midtown downtown area. So that was like a novelty and
it used to be so packed, but it went to
show you that it was something necessary, because when that came,
it was like, people want this and there was only
(13:54):
one place you could go.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
And I started working there in nine eleven hit and
when nine to eleven hit, that was when it shut down.
And from their work at I don't know if anyone
of you remember mobile up Tone that used to be
on one hundred and twenty fifth Street Mobile uptone.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
I feel like, okay, yeah, I heard that was.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
A while back. So it was me bouncing from restaurant
to restaurant. Then after that I end up at Dinosaur Barbecue,
and then from Dinosaur Barbecue, BB King's and Highland Ballroom.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
BB Kings used to be the joint too.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
BB King's was like everybody used to go there not
to see, but also there were parties.
Speaker 6 (14:34):
Yeah yeah, we did concerts.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, you rocked the stage a couple
of times. Yeah, you rocked the stage a couple of
times at bb Kings. So yeah, and then from there
after BB King's Sony Hall and then COVID came.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
And financially was this all good at that time for you? Like,
I know, you were an executive chef and then you
went to like Dinosaur Barbecue, Ndergrid was that financially like
you felt like you were getting compensated.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yes, fairly, Okay.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
I was getting compensated fairly. And what it is to
for me is the love and passion for what I do.
Me being at BB king as the executive chef for
the owner, he seemed I put so much pride in
my work and it was never it was never about
the money. It was more about me being the best
(15:20):
version of myself as a chef. So the owner, mister
Bensusan see that in me and he opened so many
doors of opportunity.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
That's good.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
So he reached out to me, is like, Patrick, I'm
going to get you on Good Morning America. We're going
to get you on Fox five. I'm going to get
you on Pixel.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
That's amazing.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Yeah, because Cheff Simpson, I want to say that even
like hearing your story, because this can be a really
cutthroat business.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yes, you know.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
And one thing that people always say, even before I
met you, because my friend Dahlia was like, yes, you know,
you got to come to the Simpson.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
I hadn't even been there yet, and she actually took
me there.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
She owned the restaurant Tilly's, and we know it's a hard,
hard business to be in, one of the hardest to
be in. And she was like, he's just the nicest
person though on top of everything else. You know, the
food is great, restaurant, amazing location, but you, I think
as a brand, and the restaurant is named after you, Yes,
you know that matters. Was there ever any apprehension because
sometimes people don't want to like put their name on something,
(16:17):
But yeah, I think.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
For me with because of the fact I already bill
who I am as a person from BB King's, Highland Ballroom,
Sony Hall and the Bench Susan, they gave me so
much freedom to be who I am and be creative.
I've cooked for so many people, so everyone know me
as Chef Simpson. So once you say Chef Simpson, people
(16:39):
be like, who's catering? You're ever in Chef Simpson. Then
I realized that my name is so strong Oden, you know,
So I say, you know what, I'm just gonna name
it the Simpson Restaurant on Bar and over time people
to start gravitating to, oh, the Simpson's own little restaurant,
And then people know me from BB King's And that's
where no, I'm looking at it. Where whoa you open
(17:01):
the first Jamaican restaurant to home in a casino?
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Right? Okay, Atlantic City, that's where we are now city.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
And then from there Caesar came to the Grand Open
and the pre ground opening. The executives came and they
like pulling me aside and they're like, listen, we love this,
we love what you're doing. We'd love for you to
come down to Las Vegas to look at the location
on there.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
And oh, I didn't know about this.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Yeah, so literally just did like the ribbon cutting in
Atlantic City, and I'm so excited to see because I've
been to Atlantic City like a couple of times in
the past, you know, but it's not a lot of
places that I'm like super excited to eat at. But
the Simpson I just think that's going to be something
(17:45):
like amazing for everybody to be able to experience.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
But now Vegas is next.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
No Vegas is next, and we.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Did because they do not have I'm trying to think, dude,
they don't have that, and think about how everybody.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
Goes just Vegas. It's gonna be one of one.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Yeah, listen.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
And that's one of the reasons because just to let
artists know, Mayno was getting ready to head out of
here and I'd be like, no, I need you up
inside here because you know, and I gotta give you
guys props because I so have so much respect for Mano.
I have so much respect for you and Angelay and
your friend all your team because one other things, Mano
is such a cool guy personality.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
He's a cool guy.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
He's a cool guy.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
You were talking with him, you know, He's not one
of those persons arrogant or loud or vulgar. It's just
somebody who's mellow like you can have a great conversation.
And for me, I don't have a lot of friends,
and I don't keep a lot of friends purposely because
I need to stay focused on my mission. I'm building
a brand here, so I surround myself with good people
(18:51):
like yourself and Mano and other people who are gonna
They always say, surround yourself with people who are going
in the same direction that you want to go, people
who motivate you to be the best.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Because the people who are not that will drop off
and you will not miss their presence.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
It's a blessing when they do right.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
So for me, it's saying you don't want I want
to stay close to you guys, because I see you
guys are doing great things and just like myself doing
great things, and I think black excellence. There's so much
that we can build together if we work together. So
just like me saying man no, listen, I want you
to come down to Atlantic City, Angela. You come Dome,
you know I got the connection. I'll put you guys
(19:30):
up in the suite there and show you guys are
own and listen.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
We should say the same time.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
We should do that, though, but I want to go
when you're there too, because I know it's often but
no other way. Yeah, it's also not easy for you
because now you have so many different places that you
have to be. Now, how are you because I know that,
like even sometimes I'll hit you up to let you
know something or somebody's coming through or I'm coming You're like, oh,
I'm at the restaurant depot doing this. You literally are
doing all of these things yourself. How is it being
(19:58):
able to trust somebody because at the same time you
have to have help running these businesses. You can't be
everywhere at once.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
I can't be everywhere once.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
And when I look back on it and I said, Okay,
I have I have sixty staff in Brooklyn, Atlantic City,
I'm gonna have another sixty staff by the time it's
said undone. I'm also looking into Miami location. And I'm
on a trend right now. And for me to do
this by myself. Sometime I ask myself, no one reached
out to me to check on my mental help to
(20:26):
see if I'm okay. How does this man stay on
top of you?
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Kid? I have a daughter.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Yeah, remember he was talking about his daughter being born.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
So me dealing with all of this sometimes I have
to give myself a mental break because there's so many
moving parts that's happening. Like even right now, I know
my phone is texting me. We need cheese, we need this,
we need that, all different things that's happening. So my
management team, I have a great team, that's their Kay Daniels,
my operation managers.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
To stay on top of everything.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
I have about four four managers, great staff, chefs in
the kitchen. I have about thirteen chefs in the kitchen,
and all of that is going to get multiplied. So
one other things that I try to tell my team.
I wanted to create a work environment that I never
had because at the end of the day, even though
(21:19):
I was still working at BB King's, there was still
that hal over your head that you can get fired,
anything can happen, And even though it's a company where
they would look out for you, you just feel like you
want your home So for me, I say, you know what,
I want to create a work environment where my staff
come to work and even the dishwasher feel like it's
(21:41):
his restaurant. So motivate them and inspire them to say, like, listen, guys,
this is bigger than me.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
This is for you. Guys.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
Now, I provide food for all of your family, So
you help me to help to keep this together. So
they come in and they feel important. So for them,
they're always going to have my back. They're always going
to look out for the best interest of the restaurant.
Not everybody is going to be like that, but what
are you gonna do?
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah, we had a whole conversation about how difficult it
is to get the right staff together because you cannot
control what people are doing, and you can't watch people
you know all the time to see what's happening, and
things do walk out that door?
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Yes, yeah, yeah, there's a lot. There's a lot when
it comes on to restaurant. There's just a lot for
you to step.
Speaker 6 (22:29):
Up, a lot of moving parts.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
It's a lot of moving forward.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
How do you feel now, though, are you with all
these different opportunities. Obviously there's also more responsibilities, but mentally,
how do you feel now?
Speaker 4 (22:40):
Mentally, I think I'm okay. Sometimes I don't think I am.
Sometimes I'll stop on the side of the street and
shutter tears and then go back into traffic.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
When you try, you do feel as though you don't
have the the time or to grieve, or you know,
you don't have that luxury.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
No.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
I was talking to someone yesterday and the person said
to me, he said, Patrick, you know what I realized
different about your different talking to you. I hear strength
speaking to you. I hear resilient speaking to you. Because
I look at it, I'm like, I don't have a choice.
It's either I'm going to swim or I'm gonna sing,
(23:23):
or I'm gonna drown. And I chose to swim because
right now I'm in too deep. You know, it's just
from someone who was getting a one shot deal to
say from being homeless on my block where I live
in Long Island. I own the biggest house on the block.
So even for me driving home, it still don't dawn
(23:44):
on me. It dawned on me sometimes and I'm like,
I wonder if my Caucasian neighbors look at.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
Me like the block so that feeling that you feel inside.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
Do you feel do you feel accomplished or do you
feel or do you still feel like it's just so
much more to get.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
I feel there's I feel accomplished, but I think something
is missing. Something is missing because to me, I asked myself,
I'm like, God, am I a sacrificial lamb? Because here
I am now gonna have one hundred and that staff.
Everything that I went through throughout my life, I felt
(24:26):
like he was building me for tough, for everything I'm
dealing with, no one be able to stay sane dealing
with it. I felt like he was building me. So
now I'm at that stage, I'm like, Okay, God, who
do I do this with?
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Right?
Speaker 4 (24:41):
At what point are you gonna send me either that
ride or die or a bona fire birder.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
And they'll say, Okay, Patrick.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
I got you with the best interest, not about he
can afford it or he can do this as someone
who say, you know what, I see your grind, I
love what you're doing. You know what, I'm gonna rock
with you and you're gonna and that person is going
to be genuine about it. Because one thing that I've
also learned is that the higher you go is the
more fake people comes around.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Right, You don't know what people's intentions are.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
You don't know what their intentions.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
They see something that's going on that's working, and they
want to hop on and figure out how can it
benefit that.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
And I'm very observant of that. So for me, I'd
rather you come straight up and tell me your intention.
If I can rock with you and I can make
it happen, I'll let you know this is what it is.
But don't be fake with me. You know, don't be
fake with me, because once I find out that you
are being fake, oh, come and ask me, I can
(25:40):
I hold a thousand dollars or whatever and be like, okay,
you know what, here's five. Don't worry about it. You
don't have to pay me back, but don't be fake
with me to get it. Just be straight up and
let me move on.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
That's why they say more money, more problems.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
Well, yeah, that's what it is.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
But you know what You're right though, And all in all,
as we can all attested, as we're sitting here and
people are listening to this is still a blessing like everything,
to be in the position that all of us are
in that everybody who is listening in.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
We have so many things to be.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Grateful for that we've been blessed with that I think
sometimes it's hard to focus on those things. You know,
we talked about this on my Wealth Wednesday Founders depression.
That's a real thing for entrepreneurs who are going through
it because you know, when you come from spaces where
we've come from, where we haven't seen a lot of success,
successful people like in our families and our lives and
(26:29):
things like that, sometimes we feel like it can all
go away at any moment.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
Yeah, most definitely.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
And the people that you surround yourself with, you know,
I know the Counsel General to Jamaica, Altseeeing Wilson, always
been near supporting me.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
She you probably know her.
Speaker 6 (26:45):
I definitely know her.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
I saw she was at the opening too, the ribon.
She came to Atlantic City.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
R Yeah, she came to Atlantic City. She's always been
there to support me when I when I did the
ribbon cutting, the Prime Minister and the first Lady called
me and said, Congress, you open the first Jamaican restaurant
in a casino in America. This is definitely a big deal,
so to me, It's like everything that is on me
right now is so much bigger than me. I'm representing,
(27:13):
I'm carrying Jamaica on my.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
That it can happen.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
It's a lot of responsibility and a lot of people
look up to me to say if he can do it,
that means we can do it.
Speaker 6 (27:25):
Inspiration.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
I'm inspiring so many people opening culinary school in Jamaica
and my way of giving back and paying it forward.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Listen, can you teach me how to cook something? Do
you think anybody can cook?
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Like?
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Do you think anybody can learn how to cook?
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Yeah? Cooking is all about being creative. Okay, it's about
being creative. You know.
Speaker 4 (27:45):
Once you go in the kitchen and you may look
into your cupody and be like, hey, not in the
hair the heat, and I open your cover. Then before
you know what, I'm like, Okay, give me about half
an hour dinner.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Figured something out?
Speaker 6 (27:57):
I don't think you can figure out now.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
In my kitchen, Mano has already committed to coming over
to cook because you know, I have a brand new
kitchen in my house.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
It has not been touched.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
A minute to come hang out.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
But he wants to make a jail mail.
Speaker 6 (28:11):
Oh I got to bring my god. Let me tell you,
like stay in New York jail mails.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
But you also and the last thing I want to
talk about is that you also do cook with celebrities
and notable people. You have your own show, which it
shows me how much you love it because you spend
the time really talking and getting to know people, but
also like creating dishes and.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Doing things with them as well.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
And that's something that you don't even have to do,
you know, And that again.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
It shows you that from a closed door. I remember
how I started my own show was when I was
a bb Kings and all the artists they come and
perform in the show. The owner BB Kings saw me
and say, you always talking with the celebrities when they
add them on. That's I'm seeing Ben Susan. So you
have Steven that's a blue note. And then you have
(29:05):
seen who runs BB King's like, you're always talking with
the celebrities and and over time I'm like, you don't
what As a chef, I'm reaching out to the Food Network.
I'm reaching out to all these Caucasian cooking show trying
to get on. No one responds to your email, no
one knowledge or nothing. So I say, you know what,
We're going to start my own shoes, right and little
(29:25):
by little, I'm there at bb King. I'm cooking with
a little cutting board, and I have the guests next
to me and I'm cooking and talking with them. And
that's how Cooking with Love was birth. And now it's
on so many different network now and me cooking with
so many.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Right, yeah, you did the show we lobster Okay, all right,
all right, we'll test that out and.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
We're gonna have to get Angela on it.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
What am I going to make?
Speaker 3 (29:57):
We don't know.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
I think that amazing girl cheese I do.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
I can't do that, but no, honestly, let people know
how they can follow you and also support you.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
You know.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
I know we're going to be doing a lot more
things together as the business is expanding, and yes, we
got to make sure that we're here supporting you as well.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
We're going to plan this to Atlantic City.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
You gotta do it, Yeah, you gotta pull up.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
It's summertime now, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
Just take the trucks out and just so the new
so the new location and in Atlantic City, it's one
Atlantic Ocean ac X one Studio Caesar Palace. The opening
time is still going to be eleven AM, and we
closed during the week we close at twelve and then
on the weekend we close at two am because Caesar
(30:44):
asked me to stay open late because.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
People want to gambling. There's no windows, so you don't
know what time it is.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
Yeah, So a c X one previously used to be
at a Pair and then when COVID came, it shut
down and now it's reopened up. But now so the
border it's crazy, So they're doing a lot of great things.
And for me to be in there, and you can
be inside your room at Caesar Palace and you can
order from the restaurant.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Can you imagine that order is some jerk chicken?
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (31:13):
Yeah, never never have I been to a rest a
hotel and being able to.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Order get some curry, yeah, right away.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
So it's definitely going to be a big deal.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Your favorite food.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
I like fish. I like fish. I like the brown
stew fish. I like the Esca beach, I like the
Simon anything seafood. I like the salmon and the drug simon.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Yeah, all right, so what else were you going to say?
Speaker 4 (31:38):
I was gonna say that, and then the Brooklyn location.
Brooklyn is fire, stay packed.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
And make your reservation, ladies and gentlemen, because it's.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Two weeks in advance to a weekend.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
I come there and they'd be crazy outside.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
I remember I was.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
In Atlantic City and I was watching that, just standing
at the front for probably about like twenty.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Minutes on a table.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Patiently. Wait.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Now that's when you came with a young lady with
the wine.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Oh yep, ingrid best, that's mine.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, yeah, your wine is amazing and it's South African wine.
But yeah, so we actually were going to the fight
across streeted was so crowded. But you know how I am,
I'm gonna go. I'm not gonna make a big fuss.
I will stand here and wait because I'm just happy
that we're being accommodated.
Speaker 1 (32:20):
So, you know, just just happy that you always take
care of me and your staff does too. And they
were all like, are you okay? I was like, I'm fine.
Speaker 6 (32:27):
I'll just be pulling up. Got you wait now, I
just pull up.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
But I mean, you know, he just pulled up. He's like, yeah, yeah, yeah,
we got your own family. You're on Simpson.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Now, y'all gotta make him wait next time, make him
wait twenty minutes.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
I need to get I need to get you guys.
To be a restaurantur you gotta come in. You gotta
come on board. Yes, even if you're behind the scene, let's.
Speaker 6 (32:50):
Talk about it.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
I'll be cooking.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
But honestly, Chef Simpson, thank you so much. We really
appreciate you, so happy for everything that you've been doing.
The food is amazing. You brought us some food today.
I was waiting since ten am for this food to
get here because I was starving, and I was like,
I can't eat a thing because I don't want to
ruin my appetite because Chef Simpson is on the way.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
So I appreciate you whenever you guys, if you're not
from here, if you come here, make sure you visit.
Let's all go to Atlantic City and we cannot wait
to hear more news on Vegas and Miami.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
That's what I'm talking about. Yeah, way up, Well, didn't
know about that.
What's up?
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Its way up at Angela yee, I'm Angela yee. My
guy Mana is here and somebody we both have in common. Yes,
we both love his food, chef when Ford Simpson is here,
what's up, Chef Simpson?
Speaker 3 (00:11):
I am good, I am good.
Speaker 4 (00:12):
I'm so honored to be up inside the building. I've
been waiting for this minute. I've been waiting for this moment.
Angelaie new MANO.
Speaker 5 (00:21):
The funny thing about that is is as soon as
you came, I heard you was coming.
Speaker 6 (00:26):
I'm like, man, Angela, you never even did his show.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
No, man, what I'm saying, this is what I'm saying,
Like you didn't, you never did this show.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
You go over there, you did a show, absolutely, But
first of all, I go over there all the time.
That's to your restaurant. And his restaurant is very conveniently
located in an amazing space right across the street from
the Barclays on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, So it's kind
of like the go to place, and it's huge.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yes, how many people does it see?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
We see three hundred.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
That's a lot in Brooklyn. A restaurant that he's right
across from the Barclays.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Yes, yeah, three hundred and one other thing that for
like about there, and that probably that's why we get
a lot of large parties, like you're a party of ten,
party of eight, because we can hold so many people
at one time. A lot of restaurants you go to,
like the space is just so tight when you sit.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
There, they'd be like, we can't put these tables together.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Yeah, you know, we always try to make it happen. Plus,
we have a private room so when you come through,
we can also see see.
Speaker 6 (01:23):
The private room. We've been in that private room.
Speaker 1 (01:24):
Yeah, Angela you day.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
That's actually right afterward we went over to the Simpson
and that's where we all sat down and ate and
celebrated because again right a question, your food is amazing
Caribbean food.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Right.
Speaker 5 (01:36):
The last time I was there, I was celebrating the
day when they gave me my proclamation for May All Day.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yeah, that was a big day. Again. Listening definitely a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Let's get into the business of things because, like I said,
that is a really prime location. And I saw that
you spoke to a realtor and then did not even
take out a loan to get our mortgage to get
that space.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
Yeah, let me say, right in the middle.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
And a lot of people are just so surprised that
I opened this restaurant right in the middle of the pandemic.
June twenty twenty was when my relator reached out to
me and he's like, Patrick, I have this location in Brooklyn,
while you don't come and look at it. But that
was where the Party City was at. Right next door
to where the Party City at, what was that? And
(02:23):
when I went in there, it was just open space.
Speaker 6 (02:25):
It used to be Tony romas.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
It used to be Tony romas. Was impact when you
have Tony romas.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
And then I think it was Atlantic Social.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
Oh yeah, I remember Atlantic Social Atlantic Socials.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
So when I went in and I look in the
window from outside, I put my face up to the
window and I look in and I was like, Yep,
this is it.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
This is it.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
And even it's so funny because you just move in
faith and trust God with everything that you do. Because
even when I said this is it, I know what
it takes. Financially, I didn't even have it, you know,
but I just kind of move in faith and I say,
you know, I love this. I love the location and everything,
and after talking to the realtor here how much was
(03:07):
the rent? Because the rent is ridiculous, Let's just say
it's over thirty five per month.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Over that means a lot of overhead. And it's not
just when you got to pay.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
It's all the bills, is the staff, it's the it's everything.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
It's a lot.
Speaker 4 (03:21):
My payroll alone per week is sixty thousand dollars a week.
My payroll alone.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
All right, we are already yet like three hundred grand. Okay,
you know.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
So there's so much that went into it. And I
remember I went home, I prayed on it. And even
when I made the decision to say yes, contact the road,
we talked, talked to the realtor, and I say, yeah,
I like it. When you drop up the paper together
and the least and everything. They say, okay, you need
three hundred thousand dollars to seal the deal. Wow, including
(03:50):
first month, security, broker, everything that factor into it. I'm
looking at almost three hundred thousand, and I was like, crap,
the only thing I can do now. I searched a
run in the house wherever I can find money.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Whatever I was.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Lifted, I was going in the corner of the couch,
trying to make up, reach out to a couple of
friends and family, and you're taking a five thousand from here,
a ten thousand from here.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Because at the end of the day, when you're owning
a business, it's a lot.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
And I always say this to people. I say, if
you have a problem working at nine to five, try
honing your own business right, or try holding opening a
business because you can't sleep.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Yeah, you can't call out. You can't own a business.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
No matter what's happening. You got to show up. You
got to be there at the end of the day
for staff. Say I'm sick, I can't come in tomorrow.
You don't get that luxury. So I eventually, up to
the last day when I'm supposed to sign the lease,
I'm still looking for the last twenty dollars to make
up the two hundred and seventy five thousand that was
(04:50):
out tight everything went and after I signed, after I
signed the lease, and the lease is in my hand,
and I'm like, okay, the next step. God is just
going to leave me through this. So it's all about relationship.
And that's one of the things where I even value
the relationship that we have.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
You men or Angela. He all your team.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
It's relationship that I've built over the years of working
with bb King's Highland Ballroom Sony Hall.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
I was the corporate chef Dinosaur Barbecue.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
Yea Dinosaur Barbecue on one hundred and twenty fifth Street.
Yeah yeah, I was the kitchen manager there, so over
the years.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Putting your time and I just want to make sure
people know that too, because you know, even knowing your
story and how you went to school and you learned
how to cook and then Royal Caribbean Cruise right you
were working on there, worked your way up to sue
chef because a lot of times people will look down
on you.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
People want to be an entrepreneur right away.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
There is nothing wrong and it's probably way better to
work and get the experience working for somebody else so
that you can eventually do it yourself.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
One other thing where people are so intrigued about my story,
My story is coming from It's coming from homeless, is
coming from poverty, it's coming from three times suicide attempt
So it's coming from the Number two train. Like when
I used to live on Tremont Avenue, I remember going
at the Number two train station and stand there making
(06:15):
up my mind to throw myself in front of them.
That was when I first what put me in that
place and that frame. I remember when I first came here.
You know, you come here, you're under the radar. You're
trying to just get by a lot of things. And
that was when my daughter was just born. And my
daughter born here, I am under the radar, just trying
(06:35):
to get by and ready to get evicted. I remember
I was about to get evicted. I'm looking at my
young daughter there and I'm like, I can't get a job.
It was very hard to get a job and just
going through so much, and I felt like there was
no way out. There was no way out because everywhere
you go you're.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Under the radar.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
A you, I have it because you were.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
I was from.
Speaker 4 (06:59):
Jamaica, no pas, no papers, so everything was And then
it was when I was about to be evicted and
I'm like what do I do At this point, my
daughter's in the house. I can't provide for her. My
girlfriend is there here, I am with no job. The
court giving me this one shot deal in saying okay,
(07:20):
pay your rent and after this, if not, you're gonna
have to move out.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
You know.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
So I was like, you know what this and just
my life overall, because here you are coming from Jamaica,
you don't grow up with your father, you're homeless. From school,
It's like you ask yourself, like God, like what's next.
I was homeless. I didn't grow up with my father,
just my mother and my sister. My mother worked two
(07:46):
jobs to try to take care of us, and I'm like,
something gotta give, Like at what point the sufferation stop?
So you get to a point and you're like, this
don't look like it's ever gonna stop because you look
at it. And at that time, I was like twenty
five or something and I'm like, I'm still going through it.
I'm going through it from I was going to the
(08:07):
neighbor's house, and that's what's how I got into cooking.
I got into cooking all the poverty, going to the
neighborhouse and beg for food. And I remember seeing myself
after because I gotta care FORO because then I get emotional.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Go into the neighborhouse and beg for food. And I
remember that time.
Speaker 4 (08:26):
I was like ten eleven and there's this lady by
the name of missus Gloria that lived next door to us,
and every time they cook, I find myself always have
to wash up their dishes, sweep up the yard, beat
a little yard boy for them in doing stuff around
the house that their kids wouldn't do. So this way
(08:47):
I can get some of the food that they have
left over. So that was kind of how I fell
in love with cooking. I fell in love with cooking
from when I would stand at the back door step
and I would watch the family eat and see, Oh,
it brings family together, It brings that conversation together.
Speaker 3 (09:04):
So even though as a.
Speaker 4 (09:05):
Little kid, I was hungry, but I was still watching
as to how just like even when I came here
and I brought the food, me sitting back and watch
you guys enjoying it.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
It brings me.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
Peace to know that, Wow, you did that. Watching people
having conversation over something that you never had a home,
and you see how they're happy and they're laughing, And
I say, you know what, I want to spend the
rest of my life recreating that. So when people come
to my restaurant and I watch them sit down and
eat and enjoy and laugh and talk, I'm seeing something
(09:41):
that I never had a home. Happening in front of me.
And that's how I got into cooking, right, And you.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Are very present at the restaurant. And even before that,
you've also been a private chef.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
Yes, for some huge people like the Obamas.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
The Obamas, I've been to the White House twice a
cook for Laric Clinton. I cooked from Michelle and Barack
and Jay Z and Beyonce, red Cross, Main, No Angela,
he you name it. I've cooked for over four hundred
celebrities from Mary J.
Speaker 3 (10:12):
Blige, you named them.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
And the good thing about you is, I know you
said that being on that cruise ship was what helped
you learn how to cook a whole lot of different
variety of things, because you know, when you're on a
cruise it's huge and there's like different yeah, different restaurants,
different types of food, different dishes.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
Yes, working on the cruise ship to me, and I
think even when I start working on the cruise ship,
it was my getaway kind of free card from Jamaica
because I remember I was working at Sandals and they
told me that time I just graduated school. They told
me they was doing interview to work on the cruise ship.
I went to sant ans by took the tests pass
(10:51):
the test. Six months after, I was at work at
the hotel and they told me, oh, there's two guys
at the front desk looking for you. I was like
two guys, two white guys, And I walk up to
the front desk and I'm like, okay, what's going on?
Speaker 3 (11:07):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (11:08):
They say, oh, they said, we were sent from Roleagh
Cabrian Cruise Line. You took a test the other day
and we were sent for Mole Cabrin Cruise Line because
you passed with flying scores. So we were sent for
Moral Cabin Cruise Line to bring you up to work
with the company. At that time, I don't have no VS,
I don't have no passport, I don't have nothing. They've said, well,
(11:30):
all you got to do is just say yes and
we'll take care of everything.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
That's amazing, that's like God, that is.
Speaker 5 (11:36):
But let me ask you, was it the cooking that
helped you get out of the dark place from ding
it all?
Speaker 6 (11:42):
Yes, it was said you was there three times.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
Yeah, it was a cooking that helped me get out
of it. Because I think when it happened in Jamaica,
I say okay, I have to get away, and that's
when the cruise ship came in, the cruise ship job
came in. I went to work with Rold Cabrin Cruise Line.
Started out as prep cook and work with them for
thirteen years and then when I left, I left as
(12:06):
executive chef and then I say, you know what, I
want to be online. At this point went back to
Jamaica start operating minute bus. But then I missed the
cooking and I said, you know what, this is not me.
I was driving the bus from state to state and
I said, I'm miss cooking. I missed being in the kitchen.
I miss seeing people having a great time around food.
(12:30):
And that was when I start working with Disney World
Disney when they first went Cruise Line, they came into.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
The Disney Magic.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
Disney Yes, yeah, they came up with Disney Magic and
I went to Italy bring down the ship. Work with
them for three years and I say, you know what,
I want to be online. So I stopped working with them,
and that's when I start working at Nigri Village.
Speaker 6 (12:55):
That was one off West third.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
Yeah, the one that was on twenty third read with
Marv No.
Speaker 6 (13:01):
Fourteen. No.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Fourteen is the one in the village. The original one
was on twenty three.
Speaker 1 (13:07):
It was on twenty third, yeah, and between eight and ninth.
Speaker 6 (13:10):
Between eighth and ninth, not the one on fourteenth, and
not the one on west. So there was three of them.
Speaker 3 (13:14):
The one on fourteen is the one. No, that's the
same owner.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
No, there, wester it's on West third, West third.
Speaker 2 (13:20):
It started up on twenty third. It wasn't fourteenth, it
was twenty third, and then it was west third.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
Yeah, no, and that usually no, yeah, not fourteenth, it
was twenty three, it was twenty yeah, twenty third, it
was next It was next door to.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Let me tell you that restaurant when the Girl opened
on twenty Thirstyet we didn't have something like that in Manhattan, No, no,
and like the you know, in that area, in a
midtown downtown area. So that was like a novelty and
it used to be so packed, but it went to
show you that it was something necessary, because when that came,
it was like, people want this and there was only
(13:54):
one place you could go.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
And I started working there in nine eleven hit and
when nine to eleven hit, that was when it shut down.
And from their work at I don't know if anyone
of you remember mobile up Tone that used to be
on one hundred and twenty fifth Street Mobile uptone.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
I feel like, okay, yeah, I heard that was.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
A while back. So it was me bouncing from restaurant
to restaurant. Then after that I end up at Dinosaur Barbecue,
and then from Dinosaur Barbecue, BB King's and Highland Ballroom.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
BB Kings used to be the joint too.
Speaker 2 (14:30):
BB King's was like everybody used to go there not
to see, but also there were parties.
Speaker 6 (14:34):
Yeah yeah, we did concerts.
Speaker 4 (14:37):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, you rocked the stage a couple
of times. Yeah, you rocked the stage a couple of
times at bb Kings. So yeah, and then from there
after BB King's Sony Hall and then COVID came.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
And financially was this all good at that time for you? Like,
I know, you were an executive chef and then you
went to like Dinosaur Barbecue, Ndergrid was that financially like
you felt like you were getting compensated.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
Yes, fairly, Okay.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
I was getting compensated fairly. And what it is to
for me is the love and passion for what I do.
Me being at BB king as the executive chef for
the owner, he seemed I put so much pride in
my work and it was never it was never about
the money. It was more about me being the best
(15:20):
version of myself as a chef. So the owner, mister
Bensusan see that in me and he opened so many
doors of opportunity.
Speaker 1 (15:29):
That's good.
Speaker 4 (15:30):
So he reached out to me, is like, Patrick, I'm
going to get you on Good Morning America. We're going
to get you on Fox five. I'm going to get
you on Pixel.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
That's amazing.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:38):
Yeah, because Cheff Simpson, I want to say that even
like hearing your story, because this can be a really
cutthroat business.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Yes, you know.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
And one thing that people always say, even before I
met you, because my friend Dahlia was like, yes, you know,
you got to come to the Simpson.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
I hadn't even been there yet, and she actually took
me there.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
She owned the restaurant Tilly's, and we know it's a hard,
hard business to be in, one of the hardest to
be in. And she was like, he's just the nicest
person though on top of everything else. You know, the
food is great, restaurant, amazing location, but you, I think
as a brand, and the restaurant is named after you, Yes,
you know that matters. Was there ever any apprehension because
sometimes people don't want to like put their name on something,
(16:17):
But yeah, I think.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
For me with because of the fact I already bill
who I am as a person from BB King's, Highland Ballroom,
Sony Hall and the Bench Susan, they gave me so
much freedom to be who I am and be creative.
I've cooked for so many people, so everyone know me
as Chef Simpson. So once you say Chef Simpson, people
(16:39):
be like, who's catering? You're ever in Chef Simpson. Then
I realized that my name is so strong Oden, you know,
So I say, you know what, I'm just gonna name
it the Simpson Restaurant on Bar and over time people
to start gravitating to, oh, the Simpson's own little restaurant,
And then people know me from BB King's And that's
where no, I'm looking at it. Where whoa you open
(17:01):
the first Jamaican restaurant to home in a casino?
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Right? Okay, Atlantic City, that's where we are now city.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
And then from there Caesar came to the Grand Open
and the pre ground opening. The executives came and they
like pulling me aside and they're like, listen, we love this,
we love what you're doing. We'd love for you to
come down to Las Vegas to look at the location
on there.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
And oh, I didn't know about this.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
Yeah, so literally just did like the ribbon cutting in
Atlantic City, and I'm so excited to see because I've
been to Atlantic City like a couple of times in
the past, you know, but it's not a lot of
places that I'm like super excited to eat at. But
the Simpson I just think that's going to be something
(17:45):
like amazing for everybody to be able to experience.
Speaker 1 (17:48):
But now Vegas is next.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
No Vegas is next, and we.
Speaker 2 (17:53):
Did because they do not have I'm trying to think, dude,
they don't have that, and think about how everybody.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
Goes just Vegas. It's gonna be one of one.
Speaker 3 (18:03):
Yeah, listen.
Speaker 4 (18:04):
And that's one of the reasons because just to let
artists know, Mayno was getting ready to head out of
here and I'd be like, no, I need you up
inside here because you know, and I gotta give you
guys props because I so have so much respect for Mano.
I have so much respect for you and Angelay and
your friend all your team because one other things, Mano
is such a cool guy personality.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
He's a cool guy.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
He's a cool guy.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
You were talking with him, you know, He's not one
of those persons arrogant or loud or vulgar. It's just
somebody who's mellow like you can have a great conversation.
And for me, I don't have a lot of friends,
and I don't keep a lot of friends purposely because
I need to stay focused on my mission. I'm building
a brand here, so I surround myself with good people
(18:51):
like yourself and Mano and other people who are gonna
They always say, surround yourself with people who are going
in the same direction that you want to go, people
who motivate you to be the best.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Because the people who are not that will drop off
and you will not miss their presence.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
It's a blessing when they do right.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
So for me, it's saying you don't want I want
to stay close to you guys, because I see you
guys are doing great things and just like myself doing
great things, and I think black excellence. There's so much
that we can build together if we work together. So
just like me saying man no, listen, I want you
to come down to Atlantic City, Angela. You come Dome,
you know I got the connection. I'll put you guys
(19:30):
up in the suite there and show you guys are
own and listen.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
We should say the same time.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
We should do that, though, but I want to go
when you're there too, because I know it's often but
no other way. Yeah, it's also not easy for you
because now you have so many different places that you
have to be. Now, how are you because I know that,
like even sometimes I'll hit you up to let you
know something or somebody's coming through or I'm coming You're like, oh,
I'm at the restaurant depot doing this. You literally are
doing all of these things yourself. How is it being
(19:58):
able to trust somebody because at the same time you
have to have help running these businesses. You can't be
everywhere at once.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
I can't be everywhere once.
Speaker 4 (20:05):
And when I look back on it and I said, Okay,
I have I have sixty staff in Brooklyn, Atlantic City,
I'm gonna have another sixty staff by the time it's
said undone. I'm also looking into Miami location. And I'm
on a trend right now. And for me to do
this by myself. Sometime I ask myself, no one reached
out to me to check on my mental help to
(20:26):
see if I'm okay. How does this man stay on
top of you?
Speaker 3 (20:29):
Kid? I have a daughter.
Speaker 1 (20:31):
Yeah, remember he was talking about his daughter being born.
Speaker 4 (20:34):
So me dealing with all of this sometimes I have
to give myself a mental break because there's so many
moving parts that's happening. Like even right now, I know
my phone is texting me. We need cheese, we need this,
we need that, all different things that's happening. So my
management team, I have a great team, that's their Kay Daniels,
my operation managers.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
To stay on top of everything.
Speaker 4 (20:57):
I have about four four managers, great staff, chefs in
the kitchen. I have about thirteen chefs in the kitchen,
and all of that is going to get multiplied. So
one other things that I try to tell my team.
I wanted to create a work environment that I never
had because at the end of the day, even though
(21:19):
I was still working at BB King's, there was still
that hal over your head that you can get fired,
anything can happen, And even though it's a company where
they would look out for you, you just feel like you
want your home So for me, I say, you know what,
I want to create a work environment where my staff
come to work and even the dishwasher feel like it's
(21:41):
his restaurant. So motivate them and inspire them to say, like, listen, guys,
this is bigger than me.
Speaker 3 (21:48):
This is for you. Guys.
Speaker 4 (21:49):
Now, I provide food for all of your family, So
you help me to help to keep this together. So
they come in and they feel important. So for them,
they're always going to have my back. They're always going
to look out for the best interest of the restaurant.
Not everybody is going to be like that, but what
are you gonna do?
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Yeah, we had a whole conversation about how difficult it
is to get the right staff together because you cannot
control what people are doing, and you can't watch people
you know all the time to see what's happening, and
things do walk out that door?
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Yes, yeah, yeah, there's a lot. There's a lot when
it comes on to restaurant. There's just a lot for
you to step.
Speaker 6 (22:29):
Up, a lot of moving parts.
Speaker 3 (22:30):
It's a lot of moving forward.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
How do you feel now, though, are you with all
these different opportunities. Obviously there's also more responsibilities, but mentally,
how do you feel now?
Speaker 4 (22:40):
Mentally, I think I'm okay. Sometimes I don't think I am.
Sometimes I'll stop on the side of the street and
shutter tears and then go back into traffic.
Speaker 5 (22:48):
When you try, you do feel as though you don't
have the the time or to grieve, or you know,
you don't have that luxury.
Speaker 3 (23:01):
No.
Speaker 4 (23:01):
I was talking to someone yesterday and the person said
to me, he said, Patrick, you know what I realized
different about your different talking to you. I hear strength
speaking to you. I hear resilient speaking to you. Because
I look at it, I'm like, I don't have a choice.
It's either I'm going to swim or I'm gonna sing,
(23:23):
or I'm gonna drown. And I chose to swim because
right now I'm in too deep. You know, it's just
from someone who was getting a one shot deal to
say from being homeless on my block where I live
in Long Island. I own the biggest house on the block.
So even for me driving home, it still don't dawn
(23:44):
on me. It dawned on me sometimes and I'm like,
I wonder if my Caucasian neighbors look at.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
Me like the block so that feeling that you feel inside.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
Do you feel do you feel accomplished or do you
feel or do you still feel like it's just so
much more to get.
Speaker 4 (24:05):
I feel there's I feel accomplished, but I think something
is missing. Something is missing because to me, I asked myself,
I'm like, God, am I a sacrificial lamb? Because here
I am now gonna have one hundred and that staff.
Everything that I went through throughout my life, I felt
(24:26):
like he was building me for tough, for everything I'm
dealing with, no one be able to stay sane dealing
with it. I felt like he was building me. So
now I'm at that stage, I'm like, Okay, God, who
do I do this with?
Speaker 1 (24:40):
Right?
Speaker 4 (24:41):
At what point are you gonna send me either that
ride or die or a bona fire birder.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
And they'll say, Okay, Patrick.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
I got you with the best interest, not about he
can afford it or he can do this as someone
who say, you know what, I see your grind, I
love what you're doing. You know what, I'm gonna rock
with you and you're gonna and that person is going
to be genuine about it. Because one thing that I've
also learned is that the higher you go is the
more fake people comes around.
Speaker 1 (25:08):
Right, You don't know what people's intentions are.
Speaker 3 (25:11):
You don't know what their intentions.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
They see something that's going on that's working, and they
want to hop on and figure out how can it
benefit that.
Speaker 4 (25:19):
And I'm very observant of that. So for me, I'd
rather you come straight up and tell me your intention.
If I can rock with you and I can make
it happen, I'll let you know this is what it is.
But don't be fake with me. You know, don't be
fake with me, because once I find out that you
are being fake, oh, come and ask me, I can
(25:40):
I hold a thousand dollars or whatever and be like, okay,
you know what, here's five. Don't worry about it. You
don't have to pay me back, but don't be fake
with me to get it. Just be straight up and
let me move on.
Speaker 1 (25:49):
That's why they say more money, more problems.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
Well, yeah, that's what it is.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
But you know what You're right though, And all in all,
as we can all attested, as we're sitting here and
people are listening to this is still a blessing like everything,
to be in the position that all of us are
in that everybody who is listening in.
Speaker 1 (26:07):
We have so many things to be.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Grateful for that we've been blessed with that I think
sometimes it's hard to focus on those things. You know,
we talked about this on my Wealth Wednesday Founders depression.
That's a real thing for entrepreneurs who are going through
it because you know, when you come from spaces where
we've come from, where we haven't seen a lot of success,
successful people like in our families and our lives and
(26:29):
things like that, sometimes we feel like it can all
go away at any moment.
Speaker 3 (26:33):
Yeah, most definitely.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
And the people that you surround yourself with, you know,
I know the Counsel General to Jamaica, Altseeeing Wilson, always
been near supporting me.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
She you probably know her.
Speaker 6 (26:45):
I definitely know her.
Speaker 1 (26:46):
I saw she was at the opening too, the ribon.
She came to Atlantic City.
Speaker 4 (26:49):
R Yeah, she came to Atlantic City. She's always been
there to support me when I when I did the
ribbon cutting, the Prime Minister and the first Lady called
me and said, Congress, you open the first Jamaican restaurant
in a casino in America. This is definitely a big deal,
so to me, It's like everything that is on me
right now is so much bigger than me. I'm representing,
(27:13):
I'm carrying Jamaica on my.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
That it can happen.
Speaker 4 (27:18):
It's a lot of responsibility and a lot of people
look up to me to say if he can do it,
that means we can do it.
Speaker 6 (27:25):
Inspiration.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
I'm inspiring so many people opening culinary school in Jamaica
and my way of giving back and paying it forward.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Listen, can you teach me how to cook something? Do
you think anybody can cook?
Speaker 3 (27:39):
Like?
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Do you think anybody can learn how to cook?
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Yeah? Cooking is all about being creative. Okay, it's about
being creative. You know.
Speaker 4 (27:45):
Once you go in the kitchen and you may look
into your cupody and be like, hey, not in the
hair the heat, and I open your cover. Then before
you know what, I'm like, Okay, give me about half
an hour dinner.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
Figured something out?
Speaker 6 (27:57):
I don't think you can figure out now.
Speaker 2 (27:59):
In my kitchen, Mano has already committed to coming over
to cook because you know, I have a brand new
kitchen in my house.
Speaker 1 (28:06):
It has not been touched.
Speaker 6 (28:07):
A minute to come hang out.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
But he wants to make a jail mail.
Speaker 6 (28:11):
Oh I got to bring my god. Let me tell you,
like stay in New York jail mails.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
But you also and the last thing I want to
talk about is that you also do cook with celebrities
and notable people. You have your own show, which it
shows me how much you love it because you spend
the time really talking and getting to know people, but
also like creating dishes and.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Doing things with them as well.
Speaker 2 (28:41):
And that's something that you don't even have to do,
you know, And that again.
Speaker 4 (28:44):
It shows you that from a closed door. I remember
how I started my own show was when I was
a bb Kings and all the artists they come and
perform in the show. The owner BB Kings saw me
and say, you always talking with the celebrities when they
add them on. That's I'm seeing Ben Susan. So you
have Steven that's a blue note. And then you have
(29:05):
seen who runs BB King's like, you're always talking with
the celebrities and and over time I'm like, you don't
what As a chef, I'm reaching out to the Food Network.
I'm reaching out to all these Caucasian cooking show trying
to get on. No one responds to your email, no
one knowledge or nothing. So I say, you know what,
We're going to start my own shoes, right and little
(29:25):
by little, I'm there at bb King. I'm cooking with
a little cutting board, and I have the guests next
to me and I'm cooking and talking with them. And
that's how Cooking with Love was birth. And now it's
on so many different network now and me cooking with
so many.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Right, yeah, you did the show we lobster Okay, all right,
all right, we'll test that out and.
Speaker 3 (29:52):
We're gonna have to get Angela on it.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
What am I going to make?
Speaker 3 (29:57):
We don't know.
Speaker 1 (30:00):
I think that amazing girl cheese I do.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
I can't do that, but no, honestly, let people know
how they can follow you and also support you.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
You know.
Speaker 2 (30:07):
I know we're going to be doing a lot more
things together as the business is expanding, and yes, we
got to make sure that we're here supporting you as well.
Speaker 1 (30:15):
We're going to plan this to Atlantic City.
Speaker 3 (30:16):
You gotta do it, Yeah, you gotta pull up.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
It's summertime now, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
Just take the trucks out and just so the new
so the new location and in Atlantic City, it's one
Atlantic Ocean ac X one Studio Caesar Palace. The opening
time is still going to be eleven AM, and we
closed during the week we close at twelve and then
on the weekend we close at two am because Caesar
(30:44):
asked me to stay open late because.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
People want to gambling. There's no windows, so you don't
know what time it is.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
Yeah, So a c X one previously used to be
at a Pair and then when COVID came, it shut
down and now it's reopened up. But now so the
border it's crazy, So they're doing a lot of great things.
And for me to be in there, and you can
be inside your room at Caesar Palace and you can
order from the restaurant.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Can you imagine that order is some jerk chicken?
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (31:13):
Yeah, never never have I been to a rest a
hotel and being able to.
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Order get some curry, yeah, right away.
Speaker 3 (31:23):
So it's definitely going to be a big deal.
Speaker 1 (31:25):
Your favorite food.
Speaker 4 (31:27):
I like fish. I like fish. I like the brown
stew fish. I like the Esca beach, I like the
Simon anything seafood. I like the salmon and the drug simon.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Yeah, all right, so what else were you going to say?
Speaker 4 (31:38):
I was gonna say that, and then the Brooklyn location.
Brooklyn is fire, stay packed.
Speaker 1 (31:43):
And make your reservation, ladies and gentlemen, because it's.
Speaker 3 (31:46):
Two weeks in advance to a weekend.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
I come there and they'd be crazy outside.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
I remember I was.
Speaker 4 (31:52):
In Atlantic City and I was watching that, just standing
at the front for probably about like twenty.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
Minutes on a table.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Patiently. Wait.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Now that's when you came with a young lady with
the wine.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
Oh yep, ingrid best, that's mine.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, yeah, your wine is amazing and it's South African wine.
But yeah, so we actually were going to the fight
across streeted was so crowded. But you know how I am,
I'm gonna go. I'm not gonna make a big fuss.
I will stand here and wait because I'm just happy
that we're being accommodated.
Speaker 1 (32:20):
So, you know, just just happy that you always take
care of me and your staff does too. And they
were all like, are you okay? I was like, I'm fine.
Speaker 6 (32:27):
I'll just be pulling up. Got you wait now, I
just pull up.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
But I mean, you know, he just pulled up. He's like, yeah, yeah, yeah,
we got your own family. You're on Simpson.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
Now, y'all gotta make him wait next time, make him
wait twenty minutes.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
I need to get I need to get you guys.
To be a restaurantur you gotta come in. You gotta
come on board. Yes, even if you're behind the scene, let's.
Speaker 6 (32:50):
Talk about it.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
I'll be cooking.
Speaker 2 (32:52):
But honestly, Chef Simpson, thank you so much. We really
appreciate you, so happy for everything that you've been doing.
The food is amazing. You brought us some food today.
I was waiting since ten am for this food to
get here because I was starving, and I was like,
I can't eat a thing because I don't want to
ruin my appetite because Chef Simpson is on the way.
Speaker 6 (33:07):
Nice.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
So I appreciate you whenever you guys, if you're not
from here, if you come here, make sure you visit.
Let's all go to Atlantic City and we cannot wait
to hear more news on Vegas and Miami.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
That's what I'm talking about. Yeah, way up, Well, didn't
know about that.
Way Up With Angela Yee News
Host
Angela Yee
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Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.