Jason Jackson moved here from Atlanta in 2016 to become a partner at a national sandwich chain. About two years into the position, however, he decided to create his own restaurant concept. Instead of returning to Georgia, Jackson decided to stay and bring a bit of Atlanta cuisine to the metro area.
“There is a totally different type of food in Atlanta,” he says, “and I wanted to offer this type of food in St. Louis.”
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So Jackson started a catering service out of his home, using Instagram to reach customers. The first day, he made a grilled chicken and shrimp Alfredo, and he was surprised to sell 30 meals.
“Those meals ended up in the right hands: of people who have a big social media following,” he recalls. “My company blew up overnight. After that first day, we were doing 60 to 70 individual meals a day.”
Jackson quickly discovered that many St. Louisans are eager to try new things, so he urges other newcomers to “bring something different to St. Louis.”
At the same time that his company was taking off, Jackson was finding his own community here. “It’s crazy,” he says. “Three years ago, I only knew one person in St. Louis. Now when I go out, people are asking to take pictures with me.”
Jackson calls Washington Avenue home, though he also spends time in the Central West End, Tower Grove, and Benton Park. In addition to living in the Loft District, he decided to open his restaurant, Kitchen 4AM, there, in the space formerly occupied by Hiro Asian Kitchen.
The hardest part of his transition to St. Louis: adjusting to the harsh winters.
Like other transplants, his advice to newcomers is to explore the city. “St. Louis is a small city, but it has a lot of good things to offer,” he says, “and a lot of nice restaurants.”
