September 18, 2026
Provided Image/RJ Smith
RJ Smith, the chef behind the Ocho Supper Club, shared his thoughts on the city's diverse dining scene and tips for home cooks. Smith, left, is pictured above at one of his pop-ups.
RJ Smith is only 22, but the culinary wunderkind's résumé already includes stints at powerhouses Royal Izakaya and Jean-Georges Philadelphia and two Michelin-starred restaurants — Californios in San Francisco and Provenance in Society Hill.
A few years ago, the recent Drexel graduate made waves when he started Ocho Supper Club in his dorm room. That operation has since turned into a weekly pop-up at the Rittenhouse Hotel, where he reimagines Afro-Caribbean dishes though a fine-dining lens.
When he's not cooking, the Fairmount resident can be found hiking and mountain biking on trails in the area. But he also loves to stop by restaurants around the city and try something new.
"I always have a spot that I've been looking forward to that I'm able to either share with my friends or with my family, and it's always inspiring," Smith said. "I think that Philly has one of, if not the most, diverse and exciting scenes of dining on every level, so it's really cool to be able to see all of the different styles."
He said cooking lets him explore and understand his roots in a way that he didn't always have the chance to as a kid. And with his dishes, he's able to connect with some of his customers and share those stories with them, too.
"We have varied clientele ... some people come in and they say, 'Oh, this reminds me of my grandmother's sorrel,' which is a Jamaican drink, or 'This reminds me of this spice that I had here,' but oftentimes people will come in and ... never had Caribbean food at all," Smith said. "That's a lot of responsibility to carry because I remember the first time that I did and how amazed I was, but I think that stage is really where Ocho has thrived, is being able to tell those stories and loop more people in to what makes the cuisine so great."
From Sep. 19-21, he'll be taking over the Scampi space in Queen Village at 617 S. 3rd St. with a five-course tasting menu. Ahead of the pop-up, he shared some of his favorite plates, tips for home cooks and why he thinks the Philly dining scene is like no other. The answers have been edited for length and clarity.
I was drawn to cooking from an early age. Growing up in the Bay Area, I was surrounded by beautiful produce and an incredible range of cultures and cuisines. Food was always connected to family, community and the stories people carried with them.
Cooking allows me to honor the traditions that came before me while expressing them through my own perspective. Through Ocho, I can share the depth of Afro-Caribbean cuisine and create the type of thoughtful, elevated dining experience I never had the opportunity to enjoy growing up. Seeing guests connect with those flavors and the stories behind them continues to inspire me.
When I'm able to get a day off, I love stopping at Gilda for a sandwich and a Portuguese egg tart. It's simple, comforting food that is prepared with a lot of intention. I also enjoy spending time in the Italian Market, getting Mexican food from Blue Corn and visiting Di Bruno Bros.
What I appreciate most about eating in Philadelphia is the variety. You can experience so many different cultures and styles of cooking within a few blocks. I'm often most drawn to places that have a clear sense of identity and make food that feels both personal and rooted in tradition.
I love preparing family recipes and exploring classic cuisines without the pressure of developing something for a menu. Cooking those recipes gives me an opportunity to reconnect with the flavors and memories that first shaped me as a chef.
Right now, I'm especially interested in yakitori and traditional Japanese cooking. I enjoy the discipline behind it — the attention to heat, seasoning, knife work, and the use of every part of an ingredient. It is a style of cooking that appears simple but requires a great deal of precision, patience and respect for technique.
Take the time to master the basics. That is how I learned — by working under the best chefs I could and paying close attention to the fundamentals they practiced every day. Throughout my career, I've focused on developing precise knife cuts, strong organization, efficient working habits and a solid understanding of sauces. Those skills make every part of cooking easier, improve consistency, and give you the confidence to become more creative.
One major misconception is that only certain cuisines belong in an elevated or fine-dining setting. Across the industry, we're seeing those boundaries broken down as cuisines from around the world receive greater representation on prominent culinary stages. Excellence is not limited to one style of service, one set of ingredients, or one European tradition.
Caribbean cuisine has the history, depth, technique and complexity to be an important part of those conversations. Its food reflects generations of migration, resilience, cultural exchange and creativity. Presenting it in a refined setting does not mean separating it from its roots — it means giving those traditions the same care, attention and recognition that other cuisines have received for generations.
Everyone wants to experience everything. As simple as that sounds, no one is turned away by something that's unfamiliar or something that they haven't had. I think that they really embrace it, especially when it comes to dining.
People want an experience as opposed to just lunch or dinner, and I think that's so special. When we have guests in restaurants, there's a time crunch, there's a rush, there's an idea of, 'This guest has somewhere to go after this.' But I think in Philly, people just want to be at the restaurant. They don't plan anything after, they don't plan anything before — that's the day. And that's such a special platform to give a restaurant, to say, 'This is what my day is going to be, this is a restaurant I've been looking forward to,' and it gives a big responsibility for them to stand out.
I think that there's an amazing diversity of chefs and restaurateurs who are putting together concepts that, frankly, wouldn't work anywhere else. And I think the support to do that really pushes the whole city forward.
