OVERTOWN, Fla. (AP) — Chef Marcus Samuelsson has bought a former pool hall in Overtown, a historic black neighborhood in Miami, with plans to open a restaurant.
He hopes his project will contribute to a multimillion-dollar revitalization effort already under way.
Samuelsson, a James Beard winner and Food Network celebrity, was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden. His menus are known for cultural fusion, including hip versions of classic soul food. He opened the popular Red Rooster restaurant in Harlem in 2010 and more recently, Marcus B&P in Newark, New Jersey.
A redevelopment board is already pouring tens of millions of dollars into Overtown, but Samuelsson is the first celebrity to make a commitment there. He bought the building for $1.5 million while turning down opportunities on South Beach.