Chef Geoff Cole (Courtesy photo)
Food | East Village

Former Navy Chef to Open a ‘Jerk Chicken Lounge’ in the Gaslamp Quarter

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

It promises to be a comfy gathering spot, where live DJs commingle with celebrity chefs, and where Jamaican jerk chicken and fried plantains rule the day.

San Diego chef, Geoff Cole, tells us he’s still deciding on a name for his upcoming social lounge, which is slated to open in early July at 531 F St (& 6th Ave).

The 3,000-square-foot space was last occupied by The Morning After, which shuttered last year because of the pandemic.

“The place is turn-key and all ready to go, but I have so much going on right now that I have to wait one more month to open,” said Cole, who runs a national catering business that sometimes serves detainees held along the Mexican border.

Cole previously worked as a culinary specialist for the U.S. Navy during his 13 years of service. For much of that time he cooked gourmet meals for admirals aboard Gulfstream jets. He later owned and operated the former Admirals World Class Cuisine restaurant in San Carlos.

With a full liquor license in place, his lounge menu will focus on family recipes that reflect his Jamaican roots. That means aromatic jerk chicken will take center stage. In addition, Cole plans on inviting local and national celebrity chefs to “guest cook” their own specialties with the goal of rotating them through on a weekly basis.