What Chef Douglas Rodriguez Loves About Durham

Chef Douglas Rodriguez has cooked in some of the world’s most demanding kitchens, built award-winning restaurants across the country and helped shape modern Latin cuisine along the way. After decades in cities like Miami, New York and Philadelphia, he found himself in an unexpected new chapter in Durham, one rooted not in reinvention, but in renewal.

Now at the helm of Nikos in Brightleaf Square, Rodriguez brings his deep experience and global perspective to a city he sees as both welcoming and full of possibility. We sat down with him to talk about what drew him to Durham, how the city’s dining culture compares to others he’s known, and why this moment—and this place—feel like the right fit.

How did you end up in Durham, and why did this feel like the right place to continue to build your career?

Douglas Rodriguez: "I’m 60 years old. I won the James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef 30 years ago. My career started in Miami, New York City. I had restaurants in Philadelphia, Scottsdale, Arizona. I worked for companies in London—I mean, I’ve done it all. About four years ago, I reunited with Giorgio Bakatsis [the owner of Giorgios Hospitalty & Lifestyle Group, which includes Nikos, Parizade, Local 22, Vin Rouge and the Nasher Museum Cafe in Durham] and it was just a thing of timing and circumstances. I wanted to change the scenery. And I tell you, it was the smartest thing I ever did.

What about Durham as a city stands out to you?

"In some of the markets I’ve worked in, people are just really demanding. People are much nicer here; they’re not high maintenance. People say hello on the street. Try to do that in another city! It just doesn’t happen. And that transfers to how people act in restaurants. In New York, I’d have to put out fires three or four times a night. Here, if I have two tables a week that need attention, it’s a lot.

I’m also learning more about the history of Durham… it’s had many renaissances, many rebirths. I think it’s having a rebirth right now, and I’m excited to be a part of that.

How would you describe Nikos to someone who’s never been?

"Nikos is a casual but still elevated restaurant with a menu that’s grounded in the flavors of Greek cuisine. But all the neighboring areas – Lebanon, Persia, we steal and borrow a little bit from all of them. I love our spanakopita, which is a spinach pie, and I love our brunch menu so much.

What are you most proud of about Nikos?

"When we first opened Nikos, I literally hired an entire kitchen staff, like 10 or 12 people with zero kitchen experience. And I molded them all and trained them all and a lot of them are still there today. The restaurant’s been open going on three years, and at least six or seven people have been here since day one.

You were recently recognized by the MICHELIN guide. Can you talk about what that meant to you?

"I’m so proud and excited, but I’m more curious about what’s going to happen next. I think it's just a matter of time before the Michelin Guide is going to bring more talent into the area. It'll bring more talented chefs and develop more chefs and more opportunities, because it's not as expensive as other cities.

Where do you like to eat in Durham when you’re not working?

"The list is long! I love Pizzeria Toro. I crave pizza all the time. I’ll wake up thinking, ‘I’ve got to have pizza today,’ and I always go to Pizzeria Toro. I also love Vin Rouge, Viceroy. Seraphine is really, really good. Little Bull is great, and I love TaTaco. I’m also always willing to try new places, and I feel like Durham always provides."