"Uncle Vito, I used just to watch him doing what he's doing," he recalls. "After I got out of school, when I had the time off, I'd come, and he would show me a few things."
Mastering some jerk dishes and platters during his teen years, the Caribbean chef further refined his skills by attending HEART Trust training, a program for technical vocational education in Jamaica and the Caribbean. This education set him on a path that led him around the world, working on cruise ships and in various restaurants.
Now, he's bringing a taste of Jamaica to Mill Avenue at Flavor Eatery & Lounge. The new restaurant soft opened in November 2024, and plans to celebrate its grand opening on Superbowl Sunday, Feb. 9.
A taste of Jamaica in Tempe
The vibrant new restaurant brings drink specials, bass-pounding jams, a smorgasbord of sandwiches, pizzas, burgers and sides — plus flavorful Jamaican food to Tempe."In Jamaica, we mostly specialize in jerk chicken, jerk pork, jerk salmon and jerk fish," Sampson says, noting that his recipe is made with scallions, onions, thyme, garlic, ginger, pepper and vinegar.
"We combine all those together to make a wet jerk sauce," he explains. "The sauce is used to marinate chicken quarter legs and pork belly overnight."
The succulent, spicy and hearty portions are served on platters with Caribbean sides. The chef makes rice and beans with coconut milk to add richness. His fried plantains and baked coco bread offer sweetness to offset the piquant jerk dishes.
Another dish featured at the new Tempe restaurant is one the chef has cooked throughout his career. He served as the personal chef for the late Frederick Nathaniel "Toots" Hibbert, the lead vocalist and songwriter of Toots and the Maytals — the Grammy Award-winning reggae music pioneers. Toots had a taste for oxtail.
"He loved it. You know, oxtail is a flavorful meat, so you don't have to put a lot of seasoning, just garlic, ginger, scallion, onion for seasoning, a little salt and pepper, and get that brown down with the same wet jerk seasoning," he says.
The oxtails are served with rice and beans or plain Jasmine rice for the perfect Caribbean vibe.
Additionally, Sampson has cooked for artists Bounty Killer and Stone Love. His role extended to preparing meals for events and functions. He worked with The Jamaica Observer newspaper, the National Housing Trust and the House of Parliament, further rounding out his culinary brand.
A shared love of music
Two years ago, Sampson left the islands and moved to the desert after marrying his wife, who is from Phoenix. Together with his son, they relocated to the area, where he soon met Nick Gervasi, the restaurant's co-founder.
"He was looking for someone to help build the place, and I just started working there," Sampson shares.
Sampson and Gervasi bonded over their shared ties to the music industry. Gervasi, from Mesa, is a rap artist and producer known as Sticcy.
"I have my own group called the KnuckleHeadz," he says, describing their music as a blend of hip-hop, dubstep and punk. Before opening the restaurant, Gervasi was on tour with his bandmate and fellow Valley local Justin Schultz, aka Mythh.
Gervasi has been touring solo or with his previous KnuckleHeadz bandmates since 2008. He was part of Jelly Roll's Sobriety Sucks Tour in 2016 and has connections with G-Eazy and Tech N9ne.
"I would open up for them, but I also DJed for them because it's cheaper to bring one person who can do three things. That's how I got into the pocket," he says.
A third skill he brought on tour was the ability to cook. He often made grilled cheese sandwiches, breakfast pizzas and more for his fellow musicians.
"I'd make sure everyone was fed," he says.
If the hotel rooms had a kitchen, he'd run to the market and make everyone steaks and shrimp skewers. Through these hectic nationwide road trips, the Dobson-High School alumn was exposed to various food cultures in different cities. He took mental notes of his favorite grub.
Fast forward to November 2024 and much of Gervasi's concert traveling experiences transitioned to the Tempe restaurant's musical choices, club vibe and the flip side of Sampson's Caribbean menu.
The menu features Jamaican fare and classic pub food with a twist such as the PB&J Bacon Burger and Elote Bites.
Mike Madriaga
Classic pub fare rounds out the menu
The PB&J Bacon Burger, inspired by one of Gervasi's road trips, is a $16 quarter-pound cheddar cheeseburger with habanero jelly and lettuce. Another popular item is the savory and slightly spicy Elote Bites — a treat that looks like hash browns but surprises patrons with a burst of sweet corn flavor.Gervasi's half of the menu nods to his roots and childhood as well.
"My grandparents are originally from Sicily," he says, "and we lived in New York when I was a kid."
The restaurant offers classic pizzas for $11 to $13, and extra toppings are $2 each, including sausage, pepperoni, pineapple, bacon, chicken, olives, jalapeños, feta cheese, blue cheese crumble, onion, green peppers, Asiago cheese, red pepper and basil.
The restaurant also offers a Classic Mill Ave Burger with American cheese, veggies and house sauce for $11. Other affordable deals are the Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich and the plant-based Beyond Basic Burger priced at $11.
"One that takes me back to my days in New York is the NY Cheese Steak sandwich," Gervasi adds, describing the $18 steak topped with Monterey Jack, sauteed onions, bell peppers and a touch of garlic aioli.
Sampson and Gervasi melded their food backgrounds with the $15 Chicken Jerk Sandwich and $18 Shredded Jerk Pork Sandwich. Flavor Eatery & Lounge is more than just a restaurant, it's a cultural hub tying together Sampson and Gervasi's past.
"Last night, we had five different DJs come through and play," Gervasi says. "We also are bringing in reggae and hip-hop musicians. We can fit almost 300 people in here, then we have patio space outside."
The bar features many local favorites on tap, along with a wide selection of imports and domestic beers. The drinks menu also includes cocktails and canned seltzers served individually or by the bucket.
As Flavor Eatery & Lounge prepares for its grand opening on Feb. 9 for Super Bowl LIX, the collab between Gervasi and Sampson is coming into its own. With Sampson's culinary mastery and Gervasi's creative flare, the new eatery, lounge and venue are set to become a unique destination in Tempe, catering to the lively college crowds and celebrating the rich flavors of the Caribbean.
