Okan Bluffton

Prepare for a culinary experience like none other. Nationally recognized Chef, Bernard Bennett, will lead you on a culinary journey through West Africa, across the Caribbean, and up to the South Carolina Coast.

Chef Bernard's vision is 'to showcase our ancestors' resilience and influence through thoughtful and intentional food that pushes the boundaries beyond what's expected' and that vision fully comes to life with a bold and differentiated menu of food and libations at Ọkàn as a part of The Bridge Collective.

Meaning 'heart' or 'soul' in the West African language Yoruba, Okàn is a word that embodies a more layered ideology. The brand symbols you see represent three distinct parts of the Yoruba concept of the soul: breath (emi), shadow (ojiji), and guardian soul (eleda).

Okàn expresses the heart and soul of underrepresented cuisine and invites guests to experience a culinary journey through taste in a lively, welcoming environment that invites open dialogue, communal energy, and a unique sense of home.

Chef Bernard Bennett is changing the way people think about African American cuisine by highlighting the food of his ancestors and telling the story of the journey of their favorite West African-Caribbean dishes.

Chef Bernard is recognized as a 2023 Semifinalist for Emerging Chef by the James Beard Foundation. As a key piece of inspiration for the concept, Okan reflects his passion for sharing the story of how history and culture have shaped how we eat and where our food really comes from.