Kwame Boakye knows that hard work pays off. He is from Akron, OH and was raised primarily by his grandmother, as his mother worked multiple jobs to support them. Boakye says, took that work ethic to school and received several degrees, included an MBA.

He applied that knowledge to some previous businesses, but, a little more than a year ago, he decided to start Chicken Fire. The food cart served up what he called “soulful hot chicken.” Despite being born and raised in the Midwest, Boakye says his grandmother was from the South and brought that heritage into her cooking. It’s a tradition he carries on with Chicken Fire.

The food cart started in October of 2019. Things were going well, but about five months in we all started feeling the effects of the pandemic. Stay-at-home orders forced many businesses to close, but much of the food service industry was allowed to stay open. Boakye says, his business stayed open the entire time and he was able to retain his employees, even though things looked grim at times. Despite those challenges, Boakye used Chicken Fire as a way to give back the community by providing free meals to kids who were out of school.

Through all of that, Chicken Fire ultimately flourished. So much so, that the business has grown, the trailer where it got started is retired and Chicken Fire is now moving into it’s first brick-and-mortar location in Orlando’s Coytown neighborhood.

Boakye tells us all about his business and the ups and downs that brought him to this big moment. He also shares his thoughts on how much spice is too much and the must have meal for anyone checking out Chicken Fire for the first time.

Be sure to follow our host, Candace Campos, on Twitter and Facebook.

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