Jacksons, Chef Creole Eye Shops at MIA

Jackson Soul Food and Chef Creole at Miami International Airport? It could happen under a proposal that passed its first hurdle before a Miami-Dade County committee.

The resolution, sponsored by Miami-Dade Commissioner Barbara Jordan, calls for Mayor Carlos Gimenez or his staff to negotiate future space agreements for the two local Black-owned eateries, Chef Creole and Jackson Soul Food, for future locations at the airport. The Economic Prosperity Committee approved the item in a 5-1 vote during a meeting on Thursday. Commissioner Daniella Levine was the sole dissenter.

Jordan said she sponsored the resolution to ensure that MIA contained restaurants that featured other cuisines that show the diversity of the area’s cultural palate so as to give travelers a better “sense of the destination.” The companies would forego the regular bid process and negotiate terms with airport administration.

Both Chef Creole, which has several locations across Miami-Dade, and Jackson Soul Food, which is in Overtown, have the name recognition and popularity to qualify for the space. Chef Creole’s owner Wilkinson Sejour previously was unsuccessful with attempts to get a space at the airport.

Jordan said both restaurants are unique and have national reputations. “We’re talking about the fact that these businesses are prominent in our community,” Jordan said on Friday, Jan. 15.

Under the resolution, the Miami-Dade Commission would get a recommendation within 120 days, or longer if necessary, depending upon the negotiations.

The passage of the no-bid proposal for businesses seeking space at MIA follows a trend from last summer, when the same subcommittee approved requests for space for Bongos Restaurant, El Dolrado Furniture and Perry Ellis men’s clothing store.

Though the item passed, discussion among the commissioners on Thursday at times was prickly. Levine Cava started by saying she would vote no because she wants all proposals to go out for public bid.

Commissioner Rebeca Sosa initially questioned the process. She pointed out that the proposal for Bongos and Perry Ellis came from the airport administration. She said she could not support the item.

“Is this because we have a location or because we as legislators are handpicking companies and instructing the mayor to find a location without a recommendation?” Sosa said.

Both Commissioners Dennis Moss and Audrey Edmonson challenged her premise. Jordan is not on that subcommittee and was not present.

Moss said Jordan brought up both of the restaurants “when we were talking about Bongos and Perry Ellis.”

“In the case of Ellis, had we said ‘let’s find a clothing manufacturer’ … or for Bongos, ‘lets find Cuban cuisine,’ that’s one thing. It didn’t happen that way,” he said. “They brought these iconic brands to us. What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.”

Edmonson argued the airport needed to reflect the area’s diversity. “We need to put forth all efforts in ensuring the vendors represent the entire community. We didn’t go through all of this with Bongos, Perry Ellis and the Children’s Museum,” Edmonson said. “I have no problem with this at all. I hope we support it in committee so that it can go to the full board.”

Read Original Story at The Miami Times.