One Labor Day weekend gathering, two milestones, and a guest list spanning music, sport, business and culture.
Don Pooh has spent much of his career understanding what brings people into a room. First it was music. These days, it is often dinner.
Over Labor Day weekend, both sides of that life converged at Brooklyn Chop House Miami.
Mary J. Blige, Mike Tyson, Buju Banton and Bounty Killer were joined by Shyne, Terrence J, Lil Meech, Yandy Smith and cultural tastemaker Kenny Burns. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, activist Tamika Mallory and philanthropist Tracy Mourning were also among those in attendance, reflecting a circle that extended well beyond entertainment.
For Don Pooh, the company was particularly fitting. Long before hospitality became part of his business portfolio, he had established himself in music, building a career as a producer and executive alongside some of hip-hop and R&B’s defining names. A recording studio and a dining room may occupy different worlds, but each depends on the ability to create a moment people want to return to.
Brooklyn Chop House grew from that instinct.
The concept took shape in 2018 with David Thomas and veteran restaurateur Stratis Morfogen. Its culinary identity drew from two enduring New York traditions, the American steakhouse and Chinese cooking. Prime cuts share the menu with dumplings and Asian-influenced dishes, an unexpected pairing that became its signature.
New York provided the foundation, but not the boundary. Brooklyn Chop House later traveled south to Miami and overseas to Abu Dhabi, where it has a home at W Abu Dhabi on Yas Island. Its Miami address occupies the seventh floor of the Moxy in Wynwood, amid the murals, galleries and creative energy that have made the neighborhood one of the city’s most recognizable cultural districts.
The first anniversary called for a celebration to match.
Guests arrived to glasses of Sun Goddess Wines, Mary J. Blige’s wine collection, before dinner and VIP service began on the seventh floor. Passed hors d’oeuvres featuring Brooklyn Chop House favorites and premium caviar were followed by an eight-foot ice tower laden with lobster and seafood. Chocolates by Benard were created especially for Don Pooh’s birthday. Fire dancers and mirror performers entertained guests before the evening moved to the rooftop for the after-party.
Blige also offered a glimpse of what may lie ahead, teasing a potential partnership with Brooklyn Chop House owners Robert “Don Pooh” Cummins and CEO and partner David Thomas involving the Miami location and the brand’s expansion. Details remain under wraps, but the possibility points to another chapter for Brooklyn Chop House at the intersection of entertainment, culture and hospitality.
A year after opening its doors, Brooklyn Chop House Miami had ample reason to celebrate. So did Don Pooh.
The night, in the end, belonged to both.
Photo credit: JDonovan Productions
