Meet the owner of Deeply Root'd Charles Trokon Brewer.

Deeply Root’d began in 2010 when Charles Brewer visited family in Dallas/Fort Worth. Inspired by the city’s vibrant and eclectic food scene, he returned to Lincoln, Nebraska with a vision to bring something similar to his hometown. After two years of researching local bars and restaurants, Charles decided to open his own lounge.

From 2012 onward, he worked as a line cook, bartender, and manager—all while keeping a full-time job—to gain hands-on experience. Once ready, he developed a business plan, but feedback from friends and family led him to a hospitality consultant who helped refine it. The consultant encouraged him to include food in the concept, specifically African cuisine, given Charles’s Liberian roots.

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Charles collaborated with his mother to create quick, modern versions of traditional dishes. Unsure if the public would embrace African cuisine, he explored Caribbean flavors, finding overlap in ingredients. He spent a year teaching himself Caribbean cooking and blended both culinary styles into a unique fusion concept.

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In 2016, he launched his first African-Caribbean pop-up, which sold out in two hours. More successful pop-ups followed, and after impressing a small business loan director, Charles was pre-approved for funding. In May 2017, he bought out a local bar and opened Stur 22 Caribbean & African Kitchen in August 2017.

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Over time, Stur 22’s house-made sauces became local favorites, winning competitions and drawing high demand. To keep up, Charles partnered with the University of Nebraska’s bottling program and launched Deeply Root’d, a sauce line honoring his Liberian roots and the restaurant where it all began.