Kavan Burke, Wayne Sharpe, and Harrison Soffer
Jrk! | Miami, FL
May 2025
Jamaican-born Wayne Sharpe grew up in the kitchen, helping to feed his large extended family. After an internship at an Italian restaurant at the Wyndham Kingston, Sharpe decided to pursue a career as a chef. He attended Heart Culinary & Hospitality Academy and worked in restaurants around Jamaica until he landed the head chef position at Terminal, an airport and in-flight meal service provider. In 2006, he relocated to Grayson, Georgia and helped open Ionie’s Caribbean Kitchen, where he worked for the next seven years. Taking a step back from restaurants, he launched a catering company before opening Atlanta’s Escovitchez in 2018. Then, in 2020, he reconnected with longtime friend, Kavan Burke, who presented him with a business opportunity.
Burke had made a career in private hospitality, working as an estate and property manager for 20 years. He decided to step away from hospitality and settled down in California until the son of a former client, Harrison Soffer, reached out. Soffer grew up working in coffee shops and hotels and knew he wanted to be in hospitality from the start. He went to Cornell University to study hotel administration, and, while there, pitched an idea for a Caribbean fast-casual concept—something he felt was missing in his hometown of Miami. Although the idea didn’t take off at the time, Soffer never forgot about it. Years later, remembering his time with Burke— who introduced him to Jamaican cuisine—Soffer reached out to finally get the concept off the ground.
In 2020, Burke, Sharpe, and Soffer opened Jrk! in Aventura, Florida, but had to temporarily shut its doors after only two days due to an overwhelming response from guests and unforeseen operational challenges. The trio reopened once again and eventually opened their second Downtown location in 2023, with plans to continue expanding in the future. The concept—which combines Sharpe’s culinary chops, Burke’s hospitality prowess, and Soffer’s business savvy—pays homage to Jamaican culture and cuisine through reliable, crowd pleasing dishes and colorful spaces that help foster connection within the community.
