Jameson Christopher
What happens when a contractor finds himself with extra building space to fill?
He starts a restaurant, of course.
Or, at least, that’s what Jameson Christopher did.
“It wasn’t a life-long dream,” he said. “I never thought I’d want to start a restaurant.”
And yet, he opened Coda Rouge earlier this year on N. 6th St. in Harrisburg.
Sometimes, people hyperbolically refer to an especially tasty meal as “life-changing.” But, for Christopher, crab cake Benedict genuinely transformed his life. Out to eat one night, he enjoyed the dish so much that he asked to meet the chef.
That’s when he met Sachiko Baez, and the two began talking. Christopher told her about the building he purchased in 2019 for his painting and contracting business. It had extra space, including a commercial-grade kitchen he had specially constructed for his mother that then was largely unused.
Baez told Christopher about her life-long dream of starting her own restaurant.
“A lightbulb went off. I was like, ‘Wow, I can actually utilize this space and give Sachiko her dream she always wanted,’” Christopher said. “And that’s how Coda Rouge came about.”
Coda Rouge serves fine-dining-style breakfast and brunch daily, with plans to open for dinner hours. It also offers desserts made by Christopher’s mother, pastry chef Lisa Christopher.
It’s hard to pinpoint the exact cuisine served, as the dishes come from a wide variety of influences, such as Japanese, Italian, French, Central American, Spanish and South Asian.
“We couldn’t pick just one. That’s not who we are,” said Baez, who serves as the head chef. “We’ve been influenced by many different cultures and have many cultures in our backgrounds. So, we want to represent that.”
Christopher and Baez’s different passions and skillsets work well together to present a warm, welcoming, meaningful and cozy space to serve delicious dishes, they explained.
“Our creativity fits together,” Baez said. “I bring him food ideas, and he has a vision of how this place should look.”
Sophisticated Space
When you first walk into the seemingly ordinary brick building, you’d never expect what you’ll find inside.
“People come in here and say they feel like they’re somewhere else, somewhere nice. And it’s not just young people saying that. It’s even older people who have traveled all over,” Christopher said. “They feel like it’s a place where they can relax.”
The elegant space has a welcoming and comfortable ambiance that makes you feel like you’re at home, but also in a high-end restaurant. The hall near the entrance is lined with colorful paintings of Black jazz musicians by local artists. The dining area continues this artistic theme, with more local works and decorative elements that contribute to the overall mood.
In addition to the restaurant, the building, called “The Continental,” includes lounge areas upstairs and downstairs, offering visitors a place to relax and enjoy the vibe.
“We want to show what sophisticated Black culture is,” Baez said.
Christopher’s mission is to broaden the horizons of young people in Harrisburg by making Coda Rouge accessible to those who might not otherwise have the chance to enjoy fine dining.
“Youth have to be exposed to different things,” Christopher said. “A lot of times, inner-city youth, like when I was growing up, we don’t have that opportunity. We don’t really know what nice restaurants offer. We can’t go to those nice art galleries. I want to expose the youth to all that.”
Christopher also wants to show an example of the benefits of hard work.
“No one handed this to me,” he said. “I want to show [the youth] what you can do as a self-starter.”
The Legacy
To Christopher, perhaps the most important part of the whole place is the mural that spans the outside of the building.
The painting, by Harrisburg-based artist Bryan “King Prolifik” Hickman, prominently features a group of the Tuskegee Airmen, Black military pilots and airmen who fought in World War II. The mural includes Charles Petty Sr., Christopher’s grandfather.
Local kids often stop by and look at the mural, Christopher said, and ask him “who that man was.” This gives Christopher an opportunity not only to brag about his grandfather, but to share vital Black history with those who have never heard of the Tuskegee Airmen.
“It’s an educational thing,” he said. “The history in schools needs to get better. People taking pictures next to it made me feel really good.”
Coda Rouge is even named after the Tuskegee Airmen, who were nicknamed the Red Tails because of the red-colored tails on their airplanes. “Coda” means “tail” in Italian, and “rouge” means “red” in French, Christopher explained.
Years ago, the building that now houses Coda Rouge was known for a much different legacy, Christopher said. The building housed a white-owned establishment that upheld segregation, not allowing Black people to enter or even be on the property of the building, he said.
Now, Coda Rouge stands as a pinnacle of Black excellence.
“I’m not just doing this all for myself,” he said. “I’m able to give back something to the community, something from our history, from African American history.”
Coda Rouge is located at 2013 N. 6th St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.thecontinentalhbg.com.
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