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'America's Next Great Restaurant': Jamawn Woods' Soul Daddy is the winner
It was between the Brooklyn Meatball Company, Soul Daddy and Spice Coast for the title of "America's Next Great Restaurant" on Sunday, May 1. So who went home with the title and the chance to run a three-location chain of restaurants?That would be Jamawn Woods and his concept Soul Daddy, which specializes in healthy soul food. The investing team -- which is made up of Bobby Flay, Curtis Stone, Steve Ells and Lorena Garcia -- chose Soul Daddy as Spice Coast was pretty similar to Chipotle (Ells' company) and Brooklyn Meatball Company's service was backed up over an hour during the final challenge.
The final challenge kind of resembled "Top Chef's" restaurant wars with each contestant developing a soft open for their concept restaurant. The contestants met with arthitects to design the eating space and graphic designers for their logos. Several hundred customers tried out the food.
Soul Daddy's restaurants in New York City, Los Angeles and the Mall of America (Minneapolis) are all scheduled to open Monday, May 2.
Are you happy with the winner of "America's Next Great Restaurant," Zappers? Will you be testing out Soul Daddy?
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Photo/Video credit: NBC
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The three restaurants will be changed to Chipotle by the end of the year. No such thing as "healthy soul food." Oxymoron to the max.
I am very happy with the decision . Not only did his
Food appeal to me ,I believe that you can make delicious and healthy soul food,why not??
I also really like the winner. Listened to the chefs
Without losing his original concept.. I am from Maryland
And plan on going to the New York "Soul Daddy"
**** Soul Daddy. He won because he's black. Joey and Sadhirs restauraunts were original and fresh whereas this "soul food" venture is tired and repetitive.
Does race really matter/ The BEST concept won fair and square.
My husband and I were pleased with the outcome. Jamawn worked hard and we are so pleased this will make a change for his family.
@CO - Really? get a life. Like Bobby, Curtis or the others would put $$ into a venture just because the guy is black. What a lack of a brain you must have. As for Joey's idea being "original" there has been and is still a meatball restaurant in Manhattan, so... NOT. Plus, he obviously couldn't manage. If Sadhir had done more traditional Indian foods he might have had a shot but he was never really sure of his menu vs concept. They made a good choice.
The right concept won. He was clearly the most focused and driven. And dont be an uninformed idiot! The investors are in this to make $$ and last I checked nobody is just handing black people the keys to three restaurants.
I was really hoping for Spice Coast. I can get soul food anywhere, but a fast casual approach to Indian food could really change our food culture. Definitely think Jamawn's story played a part in the investor's (and NBC's--read the fine print) decision.
Spice Coast should have won. Soul Food just doesn't work in a fast casual environment. I love soul food, but I can eat that stuff at home. Not many of us are adept at making our own Indian food. That is something fresh and new that people might check out.
Wrong, wrong, wroooong decision in my opinion. There are hundreds of 'soul food' options out there, including my own home. Spice Coast has the unique, fresh and flavorful approach that works best in America.
I think they made a huge mistake. I was really looking forward to some fast casual modern Indian. I would never want to spend my money on more of the same, tired soul food.