Tucked into 847 Flatbush Avenue, The Gentlemen’s Kitchen has quickly become one of Brooklyn’s most talked-about dining destinations, a modern Caribbean steakhouse where bold island flavor meets upscale steakhouse refinement. It’s also the backdrop The Quintessential Gentleman’s chose for our cover story shoot with Malcolm D. Lee, a fitting setting given TGK’s own mission to bring elevated culture and hospitality to the heart of Brooklyn.

Behind the restaurant is a four-man partnership: Founder, CEO, and Executive Chef Adonis Cockfield; Partner and CFO Aaron Christopher; Partner and Media & Production Director Tyshawn Jamison; and Partner and Director of Events & Client Relations Sean DeRose.

None set out to become restaurateurs in a straight line. Adonis was working in fashion before cooking took over. “I started selling plates almost as a hobby, and the response I received made me realize there could be something bigger there,” he says in our interview.

Aaron came up through K9 security before landing at Applebee’s, where his restaurant career began. Tyshawn spent 13 years in healthcare while building a parallel career in film. “Hospitality wasn’t necessarily something I thought I would end up doing. But when TGK came together, I realized how much of my experience actually translates,” he says. Sean came out of entertainment: “I was a party promoter, songwriter, and managed actors and musicians. What drew me to hospitality was seeing the intersection of all those worlds.”

Their paths crossed in ways none fully planned. Adonis and Aaron first connected over a different project that fell apart, but the partnership stuck. “We realized we worked well together and said that one day we should open a restaurant,” Adonis says.

Tyshawn ended up reconnecting with people he’d already known for years. “Adonis and Sean I actually met years ago through the same person, my sister, Cocoa. When I pulled up for the first meeting about TGK… we know each other,” he says. Sean describes it as years of relationships converging: “The partnership really developed organically over time, through relationships, shared experiences, and a series of opportunities.”

The name traces back to Adonis’s own brand. “I’ve always gone by Adonis the Gentleman. As I transitioned into culinary, I created The Gentleman’s Kitchen as my catering and private chef brand,” he explains. “The Gentleman’s Kitchen grew out of Adonis’s catering business… it was already an established name.” Tyshawn says it captures something bigger than a menu: “It represents sophistication, culture, hospitality, and an elevated experience while still feeling authentic to Brooklyn.”

That philosophy shapes the food, a fusion of Caribbean flavor and steakhouse polish. “I felt like the refinement came at the expense of impactful flavor. I wanted to prove that you don’t have to choose between the two,” Adonis says. Aaron sees it as a natural extension of the team’s background, while Tyshawn frames it as a statement: “We don’t have to remove our culture to make something upscale. Those two things don’t have to compete with each other.”

Choosing Flatbush was just as deliberate as the menu. “I wanted to create a place where our community could celebrate birthdays, accomplishments, anniversaries, or just life without feeling like they had to leave their neighborhood to feel special,” Adonis says.

Aaron’s connection to the block runs deeper, having consulted for the space’s previous tenant. Tyshawn, who’s lived in Flatbush for nearly five years, calls it the perfect fit: “What better place to build something like The Gentleman’s Kitchen than right here in the heart of Flatbush?” Sean ties it to the neighborhood’s roots: “Flatbush has such a deep Caribbean cultural identity and history, and we wanted TGK to acknowledge and celebrate the people who have called this neighborhood home for generations.”

None of it came easily. “The hardest part was probably raising the investment to build something that, at the time, only existed in my head,” Adonis says. Aaron remembers the financing fight bluntly: “Being unproven, at a time where the market is unforgiving with loans and grants… we got very creative.” Tyshawn admits there wasn’t one hard part, there were all of them, while Sean credits the partnership itself: “We had four partners with different strengths and areas of expertise, and we leaned on each other.”

For all four, TGK carries weight beyond the dining room. “I want people who look like us to see what we’ve built and know that spaces like this can belong to us too,” Adonis says. Aaron ties it to the neighborhood that raised him: “I feel like Flatbush needed an establishment that gave city vibes.”

Tyshawn focuses on longevity over hype: “It’s one thing to be able to say Black-owned. It’s another thing to build a Black-owned business that actually lasts.” Sean points to how much has shifted since 2020: “We’ve seen the rollback of DEI initiatives and continued gentrification and displacement across Brooklyn.”

Looking ahead, the partners are thinking beyond one dining room. Adonis is eyeing expansion into South Florida and, eventually, the Caribbean: “I want hospitality, food, travel, culture, and luxury to eventually exist under one larger TGK umbrella.” Aaron teases more in motion: “TGK will expand with spin-offs and sister and brother TGKs.”

Tyshawn wants the foundation fully set first: “There’s no point in duplicating something that isn’t ready to be duplicated.” Sean jokes there’s even a reality show in it: “There’s enough personality, history, food, and drama to make it interesting.”

Whatever comes next, the four seem clear on what matters. As Adonis puts it: “You have to keep finding solutions instead of excuses. Every setback should make you better prepared for the next challenge.”

Sean echoes that resolve, with advice for the next generation of Black entrepreneurs: “Don’t be afraid to take up space in industries and rooms where you may not have historically seen many people who look like you. Learn the game, build relationships, create your own opportunities, and then leave the door open for someone else to walk through behind you.”

Photo Credit: Courtesy of The Gentlemen’s Kitchen