Wright Chef Winner: A Keen New Chef

A Keen New Chef

Floridian Jordan Keen Wins Wright Chef Competition

by Ann-Janette Webster

There’s a new chef on the Prairie, and Bartlesville stands ready to welcome his unique style to Oklahoma's growing culinary landscape.

Jordan Keen was named the new Wright Chef, earning a year-long “artist in residency” position at Copper Restaurant + Bar inside the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Price Tower. Keen, from Clearwater, Florida, has been a Chef de Cuisine at several restaurants in Florida and has also overseen staff training and executing menu changes. Keen specializes in his own blend of New American upscale dining.

Price Tower Executive Director Rick Loyd said the 3rd annual Wright Chef competition — which took place over a weekend culminating in the naming of this year’s new chef — brought in some truly talented candidates. “I continue to be amazed at the level of applicants we receive for this opportunity. This year was no exception. Our finalists came from all over the country for this opportunity,” said Loyd. “This year’s five finalists all had amazing experience with a wide array of culinary tastes. It was a tough choice, but we are so pleased to welcome Jordan Keen as our 2020 Wright Chef.”

Each year, the Wright Chef is selected by a panel of 12 regional culinary professionals during a weekend of competition. The Wright Chef is a unique position developed by Price Tower

Arts Center as a dynamic artist in residence program. The winner has the opportunity to have creative control of the menu and operational control of Copper Restaurant for the period of one year. Loyd said 2019 Wright Chef “Nook” Ducre, who brought a well-received New Orleans flair to Copper’s fare, will stay on at Price Tower as the new Executive Chef. Ducre will be instrumental in guiding Keen, as they integrate his vision into a new menu.

Keen says he looks forward to bringing his family to Oklahoma and working with Ducre and the staff at Copper and Price Tower over the coming year. “I’m really excited about spending time in Oklahoma. Everyone has been so kind and helpful to me, and I really think this opportunity is going to be a lot of fun,” said Keen. “I’m looking forward to sharing my food with the community, and hopefully we’ll be able to do a lot of cool things that maybe Oklahoma hasn’t seen before.”

The Wright Chef is a hands-on educational program established with two goals in mind — to provide an inspirational culinary experience for Price Tower and Copper patrons, and to provide an emerging chef the once-in-a-lifetime chance to discover if they have what it takes to own and operate a successful restaurant business. The program is designed to be a challenge both professionally and creatively and give the Wright Chef a taste of real world restaurant ownership. Loyd says he’s thrilled Keen was chosen as this year’s Wright Chef, as he was not only the favorite with the panel of 12 judges, but also the public who attended the Wright Chef Reception. “Jordan not only scored highly with our distinguished judges, but he was the clear winner with the public as well,” said Loyd. “He’s going to be such a great addition to all that’s happening at Price Tower and I know he’ll work well with Chef Nook. We’re all going to have a really good experience as he comes and incorporates his new menu at the Tower.”

Copper Restaurant + Bar is located on the 15th floor of Price Tower, a 19-story landmark in downtown Bartlesville and the only fully-realized skyscraper designed by world-renown architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The ongoing mission of Price Tower Arts Center is to preserve the Price Tower; inspire artists and audiences; and to celebrate art, architecture, and design. For more information about the Wright Chef and Price Tower, visit www.pricetower.org.