Hootie hoo!Carla Hallannounced on Wednesday morning that she’s planning to open her first restaurant in New York City — and, in a somewhat surprising twist, is hoping fans will help fund it through Kickstarter.
The current host ofThe Chewand formerTop Chefcontestant is planning to open Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen, which will focus on Nashville hot chicken, which Hall says in herKickstarter videowill be “fried in a cast iron skillet, tossed in cayenne paste and served on white bread with a dill pickle on top.”
Along with her signature chicken, she’s planning sides like baked mac and cheese, skillet cornbread and braised collard greens. (You can view the full menuhere, viaThe Washington Post.) In an exclusive interview, Hall tells PEOPLE that she’s planning to make all side dishes without meat. “People have a negative connotation about Southern food, they think it’s not healthy, and I want to debunk that myth. Am I calling it ‘health food?’ No, but it’s going to be a lighter version of what you think you know about Southern food,” she said, adding that there will be roast chicken option along with the fried one.
In the video, Hall shows off her effusive, down-to-earth personality that’s won her plenty of loyal fans. “This is my hot chicken face. Anybody who’s had hot chicken has a hot chicken face,” she says after biting into a piece, scrunching her features into a look that’s a cross between looking utterly satisfied but also bracing herself (presumably against the intense spice).
At the end of the video, Hall explained another reason behind her New York aspirations. “These people are running from house to subway to work to subway to house, you know? I just want to give them a warm, comfy spot to escape,” she says, dodging commuters outside Grand Central Terminal.
—Lexi Dwyer
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source: people.com
