"The Southern is true to its Southern heritage, and reconstitutes flavors and ingredients that may have been lost to time. That’s what makes it honest-to-goodness." American (or American-style) cuisine is probably one of the most common, well-known cuisines in Kuwait’s current restaurant market. How does The Southern want to re-introduce American cuisine to Kuwait in a brand new way? We're definitely not your run-of-the-mill traditional American restaurant; we don't have any burgers or steaks on our menu. We serve what we like to call “New Southern” cuisine. It's all of the classic, homestyle Southern American cooking with modern twists and the majority – if not all – of our dishes are unique to our restaurant. I have no problem with all the American chains in Kuwait, but I hope people don’t limit themselves to just that experience. It’s fun to discover something new and authentic in independently-owned restaurants. So what are the absolute Southern essentials that you most recommend for your new diners? Pimento Cheese (we have it as a dip and as a sandwich) is the Southern essential that I think doesn't get the recognition it deserves. And our Sweet Chick is basically all things Southern in one sandwich – crispy fried chicken on a fresh warm biscuit smothered in honey butter. And of course you can't go wrong with a deep-fried hand pie for dessert! Besides the food, how does The Southern try to instill the sense of an authentic Southern atmosphere or eating experience among it’s diners? We play mostly country, but a little bluegrass might sneak in from time to time, and we've got Texas Tallow Berries (from our wedding!) decorating our tables. We have a porch out front with picnic tables that we cannot wait to use when the weather is cooler, and even our little knickknacks around the restaurant come from our families in the South; we've got quilts that my mother-in-law brought back from Kentucky on our shelves as well as chickens from my mother's kitchen. What have you found to be the biggest challenges and rewards of opening and running your own business? Well there is rarely a dull moment and you are, as the boss, wholly responsible
for your success or failure. I’m in control of every aspect of the restaurant. I can change the menus whenever I like; I can decide my own marketing. I get to express all my creativeness and indulge those culinary desires I could previously only dream about. Obviously that is the appeal but it is definitely not without ongoing challenges. The biggest challenge for me is learning to take criticism and making use of the feedback. It's tough! How do you keep your kitchen staff and front-of-the-house employees motivated and focused on representing The Southern’s ‘honest-togoodness’ brand?
I think our staff understand that every little detail we put into The Southern is everything to me. Our Lexington-style barbecue sauce for our Pulled BBQ Sliders is my granddaddy's recipe, and when I explain this to them, they can see that our dishes aren't just regular menu items. And I think it means a little more to our staff too, to work at a new independently-owned restaurant instead of a franchise. They helped us make the dream a reality. What are three pieces of advice you would give someone interested in starting their own restaurant business in Kuwait? 1. You have to have a passion for it. Work from your heart and not just for the money. It's a happy life when you are doing something you enjoy with passion. 2. Patience, lots and lots of patience. It’s a great business, but it’s also very difficult. 3. Daily, someone will tell you how to improve the menu, how to redesign the interior, how to plate the dishes, how to replant the garden, and where the future television should go. You have to learn how to sift through the flood of feedback to find what’s useful. Where do you hope to see The Southern in 5 years time and how do you plan to grow in the near future? Right now we're focusing on delivery. After that, we'll introduce a breakfast/ brunch menu, and we'll just keeping working from there. I want the place to be consistent, but never become predictable. And who knows? Maybe one day The Southern will become a chain, too.
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