Cleophus “Ophus” Hethington, affectionately known as Chef Ophus, is the executive chef at Lucia, a Black-owned restaurant in Los Angeles’s historic Fairfax district devoted to showcasing the Caribbean diaspora through a fine dining lens. A Navy veteran, Hethington spent the first part of his career working as a medical specialist, first in the armed forces and later in civilian healthcare after completing his service.
Though he never formally attended culinary school, Hethington’s first kitchen job was as a prep cook at Yardbird in Miami at age 28. He credits that early role as foundational to his understanding of how professional kitchens operate. Since then, he has worked in some of the world’s most respected fine dining restaurants, including MICHELIN-recognized kitchens such as Jean-Georges in New York, Lazy Betty in Atlanta, La Sponda in Positano, Italy, and D.O.M. in São Paulo, Brazil.
Hethington was a James Beard Award finalist in 2022 for Emerging Chef during his tenure at Benne on Eagle in Asheville, North Carolina, and again in 2024 as part of the team that earned Miami-based Zak the Baker a finalist nod for Outstanding Bakery. Deeply influenced by his African heritage and Southern upbringing in Florida, he was further shaped by international travel during his time in the Navy, including a period living in Africa. He has also personally visited 18 of the 23 Caribbean nations.
Throughout his career, Hethington has used his cooking as a storytelling vessel for Black cultures and foodways that have historically been discounted, underrepresented, or ignored. From launching a pop-up dinner series in Atlanta to opening his own seafood restaurant, Shelley’s Oyster Bar, in Miami, his commitment to spotlighting African and Caribbean cuisine has remained central to his work.
