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

Anthony , appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

The idea for the business was formed while taking care of my ill mother (Honey). My mother was a well-known cook in Miami who sold southern style dinners throughout the community to various organizations, local churches, and of course her family and friends. Her mission was to spread love in the community where she lived in Miami. Her food was known to put a smile on anyone’s face. She cooked with passion and love. She always dreamed of one day owning her own restaurant. I was the youngest of ten siblings and spent the majority of my adolescent years in the kitchen watching and learning how to cook . Unfortunately, God called her home. Therefore, I stepped out on faith and decided to continue her legacy. I knew this would work because I learned from the best!

Anthony , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Chef Anthony from Miami Florida AKA RibSlayer! I have always enjoyed cooking. To further my cooking skills I conducted my matriculation from Miami Dade College Culinary Institute. I am married to my beautiful wife Dawn. I am a published author of “Hunny’z Kitchen Cookbook Volume I. In addition, My wife and I are the owners of Hunny’z Kitchen BBQ and Catering which is a small owned and operated business that enjoys sharing what we love; some “Good old Backyard BBQ”! We specialize in Southern Style dishes, (Soul Food). I have entered and won several BBQ competitions and have been awarded a plethora of accolades. I was recently featured on Shop HQ TV for a cook-off competition with the big guy “Shaq”. I’m sure we all know who won! “Of Course”! I am a community advocate that makes a point to align ourselves with giving back in helping our communities. We have participated in food drives, giving donations to Back to School events and organizations for the underprivileged. We have partnered with local charities in providing Holiday Food Baskets during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays for families in need. Hunny’z Kitchen has also received support and referral for businesses from City Officials of Broward, and Miami County, Media Influencer Jill Tracy, Radio Host, (Hot.105), just to name a few. our opening, it has become a staple in the community and it’s a favorite spot to grab some “good old” BBQ and Southern Food. Here at Hunny’z Kitchen LLC, we want you to feel a part of our family. It is our desire that our food is a place where many laughs, conversations, and memories are shared with family and friends at the table. The company is currently based at the Hollywood, Florida.

What sets Hunny’z Kitchen apart from others? It’s simple! We stand out from the crowd of other barbecue, food stands or businesses because we are consistent in quality and presentation on everything that comes out of the kitchen. We have repeat clientele and we aim for excellence in our customer service, fresh ingredients, herbs and spices, and food. We didn’t change the BBQ Game, We Just ELEVATED It!!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Talk about resilience! It has not been a smooth road. We have faced our share of challenges on our road to success. Challenges never go away in owning a business. It has its rewards, but there are extreme highs and lows, It is no surprise that some struggles along the way have been mainly financial obstacles, having to tap into our savings, 401K, managing expenses, maxing out credit cards, the unforeseen cost that arises and borrowing money from family and friends. Also, time constraints that sometimes keep us preoccupied with intricacies, whether it is sourcing the right ingredients, obtaining licenses. However, we are steering the course through choppy waters. We are grateful for a phenomenal support system that believes in Hunny’z Kitchen that is cheering and rooting us on. Throughout this journey, we have learned many things for instance, every obstacle, twist, turn, set up, setback we have overcame is an important part of Hunny’z Kitchen story. Failure is not an end or the end, it’s an opportunity to grow and champion a better you or business. The trials and tribulations made us not only stronger but wiser as we prepare for what’s ahead (future). We also have learned and are continuing to learn that patience is key. It is accepting that great things take time to build. Throughout our journey of entrepreneurship, we have come to the conclusion that shopping in a holistic view is an emotional experience for many people and or customers and you don’t always need a silver fork to eat good food. No matter how hard it gets, Never give up!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

We started building our audience on social media through a variety of different strategies to helps build brand awareness among new customers and engage with existing customers. Many of our major social platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Google, TikTok, and Instagram, to foster brand loyalty and even improve sales. One important strategy we implement is through visual content (images, videos, or illustrations). We also, actively engage with our audience on social media by participating in social conversations by responding to fans, sharing their content, and tagging them in relevant posts. We also, showcase new menu items and we show behind -the- scene looks into our daily operations. Another approach, we engage and entice potential customers in sharing images of our restaurant’s ambience which is an outdoor venue (Tiki Huts) that connects local producers and artisans with the community. This way, potential customers can get a sense of the dining experience before even visiting.

If I had to give advise for anyone starting to build their social media presence would be to establish and keep social media best practices in mind. Here are a few tips for building your brand on social media:

1. Open two-way communication with your audience
Customer loyalty depends heavily on your services inside and outside of your restaurant. And one of the best places to nurture this loyalty is on your social media profile. Not only should your content create conversations and be engaging, it’s okay to interact directly with your audience.

2. Interact with your audience
The clue is in the name: ‘social’ media. Don’t be a faceless profile seemingly talking to an anonymous hoard of people. Responding positively to comments, answering messages, encouraging conversation; all of these are ways to let your audience know who you are and make them feel like you care about them. If they feel like you’re thinking about them, they are more likely to continue interacting with you and possibly even encouraging their friends to do so too.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hunnyzkitchen.com
• Instagram: hunnyz_kitchen_llc
• Facebook: facebook.com/hunnyzkitchen

Image Credits
Hunny’z Kitchen LLC Photography