Spotlight: Chez Soul
This year the Celebration of Support brought in food from Chez Soul; a local, family owned restaurant that specializes in comfort food from the South with a taste of Louisiana. They served fried chicken, yams, fish and a few other delicious dishes. After eating all the incredible food, we decided to sit down with one of the owners, Cherly Reed, to talk about how Chez Soul began and what it’s all about. Read below for the complete interview with Cherly and learn more about their family recipes, homemade cooking, and why she plans to “let it roll until the wheels fall off!”
How did Chez Soul get started?
“In 2006, I ran into a friend of mine who I used to cook with that I hadn’t seen in a long time. During the conversation, she had mentioned wanting to start a restaurant, and that was the beginning of Chez Soul. We opened the restaurant shortly after. The space was small and seated about 40 people but it was perfect for what we wanted to do. Chez Soul was not opened for very long when my friend became ill and moved to Arizona. My husband Elmo and I took over and with family help we run the restaurant. In 2011 we expanded and now we can seat up to 125 people.”
What types of food do you serve?
“All of the food served at Chez Soul is homemade from generations of recipes that have been passed down. We have a Louisiana flare with southern, Cajun and Creole recipes made from scratch. The sweet potato pie and peach cobbler are homemade here by my husband and the other desserts I purchase from a local bakery.”
How is Chez Soul involved in the community?
“We like to be a part of our community and try and help where we can. We have partnered with Rotary, several breast cancer foundations, and domestic violence non-profits. We are always looking for opportunities to partner with local organizations that make a difference in our communities.”
What do you see for the future of Chez Soul?
“Let it roll until the wheels fall off! This has been very demanding and a lot of sacrifices but I enjoy what I do and I am happy with where we are.”
Chez Soul is open Tuesday thru Thursday, 11am – 8pm, Friday, 11am – 9pm, Saturday, 12:00pm to 9:00pm and Sundays, 12:00pm to 7:00pm. Go check it out – the food is amazing and it is a very welcoming place to be! Learn more at: chezsoulsoutherncuisine.com
