Gamble on Atlantic City Pays Off for Chef Wenford Simpson
Photo courtesy of Wenford Simpson
ATLANTIC CITY — Wenford “Patrick” Simpson sat before an eager audience at the Atlantic City Black Business Expo in August and spoke about making a major pivot in his business — a shift he now realizes his life story had prepared him for all along.
Simpson, owner of one of Atlantic City’s newest culinary hotspots, The Simpson Restaurant & Bar, saw his first attempt in the city fall short as travelers and locals struggled to find his original location inside ACX1 Studio. His current home — the former Ruby Tuesday space near Tanger Outlets — has been a dramatic turnaround, thriving by nearly every measure.
Today, Simpson is in the early planning stages of expanding into the vacant LongHorn Steakhouse next door to accommodate the growing number of customers flocking to his restaurant.
READ: Dine-In Review-Simpson’s Restaurant & Bars Takes You to Heart of Jamaica
“Me staying in Atlantic City was a challenging decision as [New Jersey] is not a easy state to navigate with so many challenges for business,” Simpson recently told Front Runner New Jersey.com.
“It’s not like New York and everything here is a lot more difficult to get things done and navigate. I built a client base that loves my food and the restaurant invested a lot of money into marketing and staff over 50 people from Atlantic City.
“So I made the decision not to give up on Atlantic City. I moved from ACX1 Studio to Tanger Outlet and it was the best decision I made. I am taking over the previous Longhorn that will also create a private catering room that can hold up to 100 people or special event catering.”
That determination — and belief in doing the right thing — comes from experience. Restaurant Manager Kahlieff McKenzie may have put it best when he described his boss, the internationally known celebrity chef: “People see the glory, but don’t know the story.”
The lines that now form outside The Simpson, filled with eager customers and tourists waiting to taste his signature Caribbean and soul?food dishes, stand in stark contrast to Simpson’s humble beginnings in Jamaica, where he often begged neighbors for food.
Those difficult childhood lessons — and the realization that food could bring people together — became the foundation of his growing culinary empire. Simpson’s flagship restaurant in Brooklyn opened during the height of the COVID?19 pandemic in 2020.
He now has plans to open new restaurants at John F. Kennedy Airport and in Miami. A former chef at the legendary B.B. King’s Blues Club in Times Square, Simpson has cooked for Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and celebrities including Beyoncé, Jay?Z, Jon Bon Jovi, and Jamie Foxx.
Still, Simpson’s thoughts often return to his childhood in Clarendon, Jamaica, where cooking became a means of survival for him and his sister while their mother worked two jobs.
“Coming from a single family home there was never food at home,” Simpson said. “For me, it was always about where can I get something to eat. I remember I had to go the neighbor’s house and beg for food.”
When he did get the chance to cook, he experimented to make meals edible — not always to his sister’s delight — but those moments fueled his commitment to feed others. At just 10 years old, he decided cooking would be his life.
“I was in the kitchen trying to whip something up for my sister, always making mistakes and trying to perfect it,” Simpson said in a previous interview. “I was making a cabbage dish for her one day and I accidentally spilled curry into the dish and I turned it into curry cabbage.
“She came in, saw it and started laughing at me. While she was laughing, I was crying and said, ‘Well, I’m going to show you that I can cook. One day I’m going to be a chef.’ I just took it from there and ran with it.”
An internship at the Club Caribbean Hotel became his big break.
“The chef there loved the way I worked and saw how passionate I was about cooking. When I graduated from school he offered me a job in the kitchen,” Simpson said. “I came in peeling potatoes and any little job he wanted me to do. Becoming a chef, there was always something for me to do in the kitchen.”
His enthusiasm and willingness to learn led to positions at luxury resorts, including Sandals, before he embarked on an 11?year career at sea with Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Lines. The experience exposed him to international cuisines, high?volume operations, and the discipline required to lead large culinary teams.
His talent eventually brought him to New York City, where he became Executive Chef at Negril Village in Greenwich Village. From there, his reputation soared. He spent 13 years with B.B. King’s Blues Club, ultimately serving as Corporate Executive Chef overseeing multiple venues including Sony Hall, The Blue Note, The Howard Theatre, and the Highline Ballroom.
Despite his success, Simpson longed to build something of his own. In 2020, he opened the first Simpson Restaurant & Bar in Brooklyn — a 300?seat destination that quickly became one of the city’s hottest spots for Jamaican cuisine.
Along the way, Simpson cooked for more than 400 celebrities, including Mary J. Blige, Rick Ross, Nelly, CeeLo Green, Bon Jovi, and George Clinton. His work earned him national media appearances on NBC, Good Morning America, Fox 5, PIX11, CBS2, and the Food Network.
He later made history as the first Jamaican chef in the United States to host a cooking show on a major network, with BET’s Cooking With Love.
Simpson’s story is not only about food — it’s about people. Today, he oversees a restaurant brand employing more than 120 team members, with a new location planned for Miami. Providing jobs remains one of his greatest motivations.
“Providing employment for others is one of my driving forces,” he said. “I care about people becoming everything they aspire to be… I focus on keeping the door open and making sure my staff can cash their check.”
His commitment extends beyond his restaurants. Simpson is working to establish the Simpson Culinary Institute in St. Ann, Jamaica, to mentor and train the next generation of chefs. He frequently returns to his former school to speak with students, reminding them that greatness can come from humble beginnings.
A Culinary Vision Rooted in Culture and Creativity
Simpson’s cooking blends Jamaican spices, Southern soul, and American flair. His dishes are known not only for their bold flavors but for their artistic presentation. As Shore Local News noted, his menu “masterfully blends authentic Caribbean flavors with Southern soul and American influences,” showcasing both tradition and innovation.
His personal motto guides every part of his work: “Teamwork made the dream work. Believe in your dreams, be your number one cheerleader, and keep God in the middle of everything you do.”
At August’s Black Business Expo, Simpson drew a crowd of potential entrepreneurs seeking his wisdom. What he left the audience with was simple: with perseverance, belief in yourself, and love for what you do, anyone can create amazing things — just like the food served at The Simpson Restaurant & Bar.
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