Grey Sweater — Food Without Allegiance
When the word began to spread that Chef Andrew Black was going to be opening a restaurant called Grey Sweater, Black received some confused looks. He was even asked if it was going to be a clothing store. Yet for Black, the name Grey Sweater made perfect sense for what he wanted to build in the heart of Oklahoma City.
“Grey has no allegiance. And so the food in this room has no allegiance,” Black said. “The sweater is the warmth of the service that we offer, and that's what Grey Sweater is. Grey Sweater is a continuing journey—it never ends. It’s a lifestyle.”
The journey has taken Black around the world waiting for the right moment to cross paths with the right place. Originally from Jamaica, he’s had stops that have included Paris, Cuba, Memphis, and Turks and Caicos, among others.
Then 15 years ago, Black had to be convinced to give Oklahoma a try. Even after he begrudgingly made the decision to work at the Skirvin Hotel, he thought it was just going to be another stop on his journey before moving on. “I decided to give it a chance and, I said, ‘Okay, I'll do it for a year’,” Black said. “And then two years into it, I was still here. Three years, I didn't unpack, four years, I didn't unpack. So the fifth year I decided to unpack, and now it's home for me.”
Now Black says he’s become one of the biggest cheerleaders of the state and its restaurant scene and is constantly singing the state’s praises to anyone who will listen. He knew Oklahoma City was the right spot to unleash his master plan.
Black partnered with Rudy Khouri and took the ground floor of The Maywood apartment complex in downtown Oklahoma City. Their consortium includes Grey Sweater, La Baguette and Black Walnut. “We wanted to make sure that these three restaurants were built in such a way that we never grew bored of coming here,” Black said.
Grey Sweater has proven to be a totally unique dining experience. The small, intimate, reservation-only eatery has quickly become a go-to spot since its opening in September of 2019.
“When we embarked upon doing Grey Sweater, we knew we wanted to do something without boundaries and barriers,” Black said. “We knew we wanted to do something as far as your imagination could stretch. We knew we wanted to offer food from all over the world.”
Black’s mantra of no allegiance stretches into the food as well. There are no sacred dishes that have to be kept year-round. Even the chef himself is unable to pick one to call his favorite. “It's hard to say what my favorite dish is because I'm not committed to it,” Black said. “I could love it today and move on to something better tomorrow. There are a few things that appear on the menu only because they are signature dishes that people love. But I can't promise they'll be there the next six, seven months. Owing no allegiance, a freedom of flavor takes guests on a journey to places undiscovered.”
Grey Sweater doesn’t provide the standard à la carte style. Instead, they allow patrons to choose from a three-tier tasting menu to complete a 3-course, 5-course or 10-course meal.
Even with just 45 seats, Black doesn’t want patrons of Grey Sweater to ever feel rushed. In his mind, the meal is the focus, but there are other elements to the experience. The conversations and the atmosphere make up a big part of what the Grey Sweater experience is all about.
“It’s a place where I've seen people get engaged,” Black said. “We've seen so many good stories. We've met so many lifelong friends that join us, and not just guests, but also staff. You can't ask for much more.”