A Look Inside Wrightsville Beach’s Most Exclusive Private Dining Experience

Chef Jordan Keen has devoted his career to mastering the art of fine dining, continually challenging himself to reach new culinary heights. Originally from Chicago, Keen worked in high-end restaurants in Florida and Oklahoma before making his way to coastal North Carolina.

His first stop in the Cape Fear region was as executive chef at the Beach Shop and Grill in Topsail Beach followed by Dram Yard in downtown Wilmington. When restaurateur Giorgios Bakatsias of the Giorgios Hospitality & Lifestyle Group approached him about the position at The Commodore Club, he knew almost immediately that it was an opportunity he could not refuse.

“I think pretty much everyone had heard about this place at that point and after a couple of conversations with Giorgios it was a pretty easy decision,” Keen said.

Several years in the making, The Commodore Club opened earlier this year as a private social club on the Intracoastal Waterway in Wrightsville Beach. The two-story building, designed by Wilmington-based Kersting Architecture and built by Monteith Construction, is set upon a custom-built barge and offers indoor and outdoor dining. The Giorgios Hospitality group came on board to lead the club’s food and beverage program in November 2022. The group’s portfolio includes over twenty restaurants, including many in the Triangle area, as well as Kipos and G Prime in Wilmington.

The club features several luxurious dining spaces – a main dining room and outdoor patio on the lower level, an upper-level bar and lounge with an outdoor deck overlooking the water and a gallery room for private events. Both upper and lower levels feature standout furnishings and fixtures in tones of blue, white and gold and floor-to-ceiling windows providing panoramic water views.

Keen’s journey to this prestigious role was built on a combination of skill and a passion for unparalleled guest experiences. The opportunity to work with an esteemed restaurateur on a new fine dining concept in a private club setting was a challenge he eagerly embraced.

“We are a private club with a focus on dining,” Keen said. “We don’t offer any other amenities so it’s all about the food, drinks and service. And when people are paying this type of membership fee, they expect an experience that goes beyond just great food  – service, presentation, everything has to be top-notch.”

Membership initiation for the Commodore Club is currently $32,500, with annual dues of $2,500.

With that in mind, Keen said he and his team work tirelessly to elevate every meal into a memorable experience.

“We really push to create something that doesn’t exist anywhere else,” Keen said.

Keen has built a strong culinary team, including sous chef Dylan Rhodes and pastry chef Madelyn Frank, who he said share his passion for the industry and commitment to quality. He also credits the club’s front-of-house staff with providing top-notch service.

“We are fortunate to have a team that’s genuinely excited and passionate,” Keen said.

His menu is rooted in originality, with each dish crafted from his own recipes. He understands the fine line between offering diners something new, while still making it approachable, especially for the less adventurous.

“I’ve always been really good at putting out food that is the type of creative food I want to do, but packaged in a more comfortable way,” Keen said.

Drawing from his love for global flavors and unique combinations, Keen’s menu combines familiar tastes with innovative twists, which he feels is especially important in the private club setting. While the menu contains familiar favorites such as shrimp and grits and chicken marsala, they are presented with the addition of ingredients not typically associated with these dishes, making them unique yet still approachable.

Some of the current standouts on the newly introduced winter menu include blue crab tagliatelle with asparagus, leeks and grana Padano, short rib gnocchi, a Cheshire pork chop with fried pears, charred radicchio and a mustard jus and heirloom carrots with berbere, pumpkin seeds and sage.

Keen has also recently introduced a five-course chef’s tasting menu designed to push culinary boundaries, as well as wine dinners featuring notable winemakers.

Balancing exclusivity and accessibility, as well as the pursuit of potential new members, the Commodore Club occasionally opens its doors for special events, giving potential members a taste of the club experience.

Meanwhile, Keen’s vision for the Commodore Club is ever evolving, as he strives to continually provide memorable experiences for his guests and challenge himself creatively.