Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Keona Hogan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Keona thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

KURRY OUT first came to me in the form of a dream…. I saw people waiting in lines talking about my food, anxious to taste that first bite. I woke up confused and just thought, “What was that?” I decided to write down what I saw, as I did most times when a dream stood out to me.

A year later, I had the dream again but this time there was more to it. Just as I did before, I wrote what I saw. Even though I had always said I never wanted a restaurant, I started to consider it. It felt like I was being ushered into a new journey that I couldn’t say no to, so I just went with it. Life has always been like that for me, anyways. Some of the most life changing experiences I’ve had, have come from random interferences from something above me….

I started creating a menu, then thought about a potential name for this concept. I started dreaming about dishes, colors and the brand voice. For me, this is the part I enjoy the most about creating a new project.

Honestly, the next few years I barely thought about KURRY OUT. I told some of my closest friends about it, but other than that, I allowed life to go on and allowed the thought of a restaurant to fall to the sideline. I was already extremely afraid of opening a restaurant and having it fail miserably, so it was easy to just forget about the idea entirely.

Fast forward a to 2024 and I was awarded a grant for KURRY OUT from Innovation Works, an organization that supports social entrepreneurs in Baltimore. This allowed me to start developing the menu further, and set up a photoshoot to capture the look and feel of the food. That made it all start to feel real.

But the fear of failure caused me to procrastinate for another 8 months until a good friend of mine asked, “What’s up with KURRY OUT?” and I was forced to confront the fact that I couldn’t keep sitting on this idea, I had to bring it to life. So I set the grand opening date, and decided it was time to get to work.

I have a ton of work to do, but I also have the best support system working with me… and that’s makes me feel like it’s possible.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. I started my food journey as a young child, learning from the elders in my family and allowed that to become my first love. After graduating culinary school, I used the knowledge I gained to merge my love for wellness and food. I am now a health and wellness coach, creative entrepreneur, and business owner who educates low-income communities about conscious consumption and ways to incorporate wellness practices into their daily lives. I’ve been a professional in the culinary and hospitality field for over a decade, and I’m
most known for my expertise in sustainability and indigenous culture. I have been featured in many national publications as well as local news stations and magazines and even graced the TV screen when I appeared on nine episodes of Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen, where I was able to showcase my talent and approach to food on a global level. In 2019, I founded LIFE SUPPORT FOODS LLC, a food, wellness, and culture focused culinary and hospitality company. As a single mother of two, I’ve been blessed to build a legacy rooted in faith, culture, and community that will be carried on for generations to come.

I am happy to announce that I am releasing my FIRST ever restaurant concept, KURRY OUT®! We’ll be hosting our grand opening block party May 9th!

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I started using food to create opportunities for myself as early as high school. I couldn’t find a job, no matter how hard I tried. So I had to get creative and I saw that some of my fellow students would sell cupcakes or other treats during the school day (even though we definitely weren’t supposed to be ). I thought about ways that I could stand out from the competition and landed on making my cupcakes muffin sized and decorating them in different ways, whether it was themed for the holidays or just something I came up with to appeal to the students. I started saving up and was able to use that money to support myself somewhat through college, where I continued to use my skills as a makeup artist and a home cook to make side money.

I eventually went on to turn my makeup skills into a full on business where my work was even published in magazine, and that turned into a whole modeling career over time. The food took me to heights I couldn’t even imagine, landing me a spot on a global television series and allowing me to create a legacy with not one, but two businesses. And I’m only just getting started.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Honestly, word of mouth has been the strongest source of marketing for my businesses. When you foster great relationships and a level of trust with your clients, they are more than willing to refer your business to people they know.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lifesupportfood.com www.eatkurryout.com
• Instagram: @kf.hogan @kurryout

Image Credits

Kevin Ewing, Anthony McCray, Alphonso Smith Jr.