One of the most acclaimed chefs in Oklahoma City, Andrew Black has always harkened to his heritage in his cooking. The native of Jamaica has often woven those Caribbean influences into his menus at his restaurants, from jerk chicken lollipops at Black Walnut and broiled butter beans with grilled Caribbean-Indian roti at Perle Mesta to butter-poached scallops with coconut sauce—inspired by a classic Jamaican stew—at Grey Sweater, the tasting menu stalwart that earned him a James Beard Award in 2023. Come early next year, those influences finally take center plate, when Chef Black closes one restaurant to open another.
On Jan. 1, 2026, Black closes Black Walnut after six years in Deep Deuce. In its place, he’s planning a new concept: Dougla, rooted in the flavors he grew up with in Jamaica. Despite the success of the former, and its loyal regulars, the change was inspired by a desire to do something celebrating his roots, homing in on the Caribbean rituals that he’s offered on menus in the past. In many ways, Dougla represents a homecoming for Black.
The chef describes Dougla as an authentic Indo-Caribbean concept, spotlighting dishes that he grew up eating in Jamaica and learning about from his grandmother. Digging deeper than jerk chicken, Black cites examples like oxtail, goat and pholourie, an Indo-Caribbean street food traditionally made of crispy fritters with chutney. For one of Oklahoma’s most dynamic and inventive chefs, this new chapter is an exciting, full-circle moment casting a spotlight on a cuisine that is still largely unseen in Oklahoma City. Certain menu favorites from Black Walnut, he notes, will live on at Perle Mesta.
The timeline is swift, with plans to open Dougla in the Black Walnut space on Feb. 14, 2026, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Which feels apt, considering the restaurant is a love letter to his heritage.
