Age: 32
It didn’t take long for Aisha “Pinky” Cole to figure out there was room for more than one Slutty Vegan in the world.
After opening up her first Slutty Vegan restaurant—which actually began as a food truck, and a home test kitchen before that—Cole has, two years later, recently added second and third locations, and she has plans for more.
“It’s been a blessing to see how the business has blossomed,” Cole tells Specialty Food. “It started out as something to fulfill a need: I just wanted some comfort food late at night, and everything was closed early.”
The first Slutty Vegan in Atlanta quickly became enormously popular, featuring indulgent takes on vegan foods with provocative names such as the One Night Stand burger and the Hollywood Hooker sandwich. The Slutty Vegan name refers to people who enjoy decadent food but also enjoy plant-based eating.
In the two years since founding Slutty Vegan ATL, Cole has focused on “learning on the job how to be a CEO,” and executing at a consistently high level at the restaurants.
She also says she’s encouraged by the support that society has begun to give Black-owned businesses after the nationwide protests against racism and police brutality. “I think that it is amazing to see that finally, Black people are not just being celebrated for their coolness, but being celebrated for being thriving business owners,” says Cole. “It’s long overdue, but it’s a beautiful thing to see happen.”
Cole says she’s looking forward to growing the Slutty Vegan concept—13 locations are on the drawing board—and possibly taking it public one day. “I’ve already chased my wildest dream, and my wildest dream was to create something that my family could be proud of,” Cole says. “I’m creating a legacy for my name.”
Mark Hamstra is a regular contributor to Specialty Food and SFA News Daily.
Photo credit: Slutty Vegan
from Foodservice https://ift.tt/3julOku
No comments: