Dulan’s on Crenshaw owner Greg Dulan reflects on the restaurant’s nearly 50-year history, recent renovations and his third nomination for the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Restauranteur. Ted Chen reports for the NBC4 News on Feb. 21, 2024.
It's a household name for many who dine in South Los Angeles. Dulan’s restaurants have been around for nearly 50 years, and the man behind them is a nominee again for one of dining’s most prestigious awards.
There’s a lot of family pride inside of Dulan's on Crenshaw. From roots back to a family farm in Oklahoma, to the first restaurant in LA nearly 50 years ago where Greg Dulan said his father loved to chat with locals.
The family even got a visit from a future king. “We served the prince his first taste of soul food,” Dulan said.
Dulan was recently nominated a third time by the James Beard Foundation for outstanding restaurateur.
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“I’m the only nominee from the state of California and there are 20 nominees from across the country and all of them are good,” Dulan said.
The recognition comes just as Dulan has completed a two-year renovation, expanding his Crenshaw restaurant to include two new patios and more dining space.
He said the new look is part of a transformation of the Crenshaw corridor called Destination Crenshaw, which will include parks and art spaces anchored by the Crenshaw metro line being built.
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“I love what I do. I love the restaurant business. I love talking to my customers and meeting and greeting my customers,” Dulan said. “My father always preached the importance of African American business ownership. That's what he preached to me day and night.”
