LUCKY ROOSTER KITCHEN + BAR Creating an amazing dining experience for guests. By Barry Kaufman
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Photos By Rob Kaufman
It was a tall order to begin with, taking over Lucky Rooster from original chef and owner Clayton Rollison. Not only was Rollison such a visible symbol for the restaurant, it was largely his core vision that drove the restaurant’s approachable gourmet philosophy. Factor in one of the craziest summers in island history, with scores of tourists flooding the island amid pandemic uncertainty, and you can see the challenge new owner David Leffew was facing. You can also see how well he faced that challenge with every wave of accolade, every positive online review, every masterful dish that comes out of the kitchen and every way that Lucky Rooster is expanding and growing. “We knew the challenges going into it,” he said. “You had a brand that was successful, and… we had to come in and execute at that level. That was a challenge, but we knew the expectations, and we knew the mindset. We pushed the team and they executed.” That team played a massive role in seeing Lucky Rooster through the transition and what Leffew says was a “crazy summer.” They also played a huge role in taking Lucky Rooster in exciting new directions. Proving hugely popular early on, the new lunch and brunch menu took full advantage of Chef David Landrigan’s culinary expertise. 12
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