‘Strong ties to the community.’ Overtown’s hottest restaurant brought in this Miami chef

All it took was one bite.

“I just tasted the saltiest deviled egg of my life,” says Amaris Jones, Red Rooster Overtown’s new chef at large.

Jones grimaces then swiftly sends back the appetizer. Something is clearly wrong. The deviled eggs are one of Red Rooster’s most popular dishes yet today’s batch just didn’t meet Jones’ standards. And one conversation later, the reason becomes clear: the cooks are no longer using kosher salt.

“They have to use kosher salt,” Jones tells a cook. “They cannot use Morton’s salt or none of that because that stuff is horrible.”

This, in a sense, is why Jones was brought to Red Rooster. A Philadelphia native with more than a decade of culinary experience, Jones’ attuned palate has made her a sought-after talent within Miami’s soul food scene. Couple that with an infectious smile and warm personality — even her aforementioned grimace quickly gave way to a grin — and Jones’ addition is no surprise.

“I wanted someone with equal talent but also, locally, to have really strong ties to Miami,” said Marcus Samuelsson, celebrity chef and owner of Red Rooster, who opened the Overtown outpost of his Harlem spot in 2020.

Located in the building that once housed Clyde Killens’ Pool Hall, Red Rooster has become one of Overtown’s most popular attractions. From the posters plastered in the stairway leading to the new-and-improved pool hall to the historical artifacts adorning the walls, Red Rooster Overtown is an ode to the neighborhood once called the “Harlem of the South.”

For Jones, food has always been a uniting force. Some of her earliest memories involve watching the women at her father’s church, one of the first Black churches in Philadelphia, cook food to be served in the community. Over time, as her father began to travel from church to church for retreats, Jones was always open to trying new dishes.

“I think that’s where my palate grew and how I had such an elevated palate at such a young age,” Jones said of the family trips.

Food, however, wasn’t in Jones’ plans when she moved to Miami in 2001. She first worked in real estate, then in estate management for P. Diddy.

Somehow, she always found herself cooking for others.

“I would say to people ‘I know how to cook so come to my house if you want some good food and I’ll turn on some music,’” Jones said. “It became a thing. People would come in town who work in the entertainment industry and they would just show up at my house.”

Eventually someone gave her an idea: open a restaurant. Inspired by her upbringing in the City of Brotherly Love, Jones would open South Street in 2012. The restaurant was a hit: everyone from Martha Stewart to Lenny Kravitz to LeBron James frequented the Design District eatery. Jones’ success, however, was short-lived as South Street closed in 2013.

Despite South Street’s short stint, the restaurant did give Jones a cult following. Her pork-less menu became folklore. Her turkey chops were missed. And, eventually, she became Rick Ross’ personal chef, a feat that garnered her even more publicity as he credited her with his 80-lb weight loss.

As Jones’ reputation grew, so did her fan club. One such person was Samuelsson who discovered Jones’ food at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival in 2015. The Red Rooster owner was hooked, so much so that when Samuelsson decided to bring his restaurant to Miami, Jones catered each and every event before its opening.

“She has been an amazing chef in the community for a long time,” Samuelsson added.

In fact, Samuelsson wanted Jones to join immediately. The timing, however, wasn’t right. Jones was still in the early stages of creating Chik’n Jones, a fried chicken concept that opened at Time Out Market Miami in 2021. When Samuelsson circled back, he wanted someone not just with talent but with a strong passion for Miami.

“We have to have that connection to the community,” Samuelson said. “The Overtown community is why we’re successful and we need somebody who has respect not just for African American culture but for the diversity of Miami.”

Jones’ role involves not just testing out new menu items — those famed turkey chops will be making a return — but also customer engagement. On Sundays she can be seen milling around Red Rooster from table to table, chatting with guests and ensuring the food meets her standards.

“What I’m doing here is taking a little bit of what the community is used to and a fan of but just adding to it,” Jones said. “It’s good. I just want to add some enhancements.”

Already recognized for incorporating dishes from all over the African diaspora, Jones’ future additions — the turkey chops, Boss salad and chicken sandwiches — only bolsters a menu that already includes jollof rice and oxtail. Samuelsson calls Jones’ touch “a little twist on comfort food.” Jones herself calls it “putting my own spin on it.” Jones’ longtime friend and patron Nadine Valme, however, just calls it good.

“If I’m going to eat anything Southern, I always think of Amaris,” Valme said. Valme and her family already had brunch plans Sunday but after learning of Jones’ pop-up, they popped in for just a little bite. “She transcends — she appeals to everyone.”