From kitchen garden to executive chef: Coyd Jordan’s journey to Skylark Rooftop

Jordan serves as executive chef at Skylark Rooftop Restaurant & Bar, a multi-level rooftop venue known for panoramic views, craft cocktails, and a steady flow of guests drawn to its nightlife-driven atmosphere. Behind the scenes, he focuses on structure and consistency, ensuring the food program keeps pace with the energy of the room.

Originally from Guyana, Jordan said his earliest exposure to food came through a kitchen garden and home cooking. After moving to the United States at age 10, he entered the restaurant industry as a teenager, taking on back-of-house roles at 15 that included prep work and marinating proteins. “That was my first real introduction to kitchens in New York,” he said. “At home, I was already cooking as the eldest in a single-parent household, so it became second nature.”

He briefly studied photography in college after high school before deciding to fully pursue culinary arts. Jordan has now worked professionally in kitchens for nearly 16 years.

At Skylark, Jordan oversees menu execution, kitchen operations and seasonal updates that align with the restaurant’s modern American small-plates concept. While rooftop dining in New York often leans heavily on ambiance, he said his priority is ensuring dishes remain consistent and flavorful regardless of volume or pace.

His approach is shaped by his Guyanese background, where food traditions reflect Indigenous, African, Indian and Chinese influences. That cultural foundation, he said, informs how he builds seasoning profiles and develops depth in dishes, even within a contemporary American framework.

“I think food is a universal language,” Jordan said. “It brings people together no matter where they’re from.”

Skylark has positioned itself within Manhattan’s competitive rooftop dining scene, where execution is as critical as experience. Under Jordan’s leadership, the kitchen continues refining its offerings to balance elevated presentation with operational precision.

As New York’s hospitality industry evolves, Caribbean-rooted chefs like Jordan are becoming more visible across mainstream dining spaces. At Skylark, that influence is reflected not through overt fusion branding, but through a steady, disciplined approach to flavor and consistency.

For Jordan, the goal remains unchanged: maintain a sharp kitchen, keep service flowing and ensure every plate matches the energy and view surrounding it high above Midtown Manhattan.