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Feeding the Body, Soul and Heart

Discussion and dining event at the E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center offered students delicious cuisine and sound advice

On Monday, students gathered inside Kent State's E. Timothy Moore Student Multicultural Center(SMC) for an event designed to nourish both body and spirit. 鈥淔eeding the Body and Soul鈥 was a guided discussion about soul food that featured southern creole dishes from Kent State alumnus Will Matthews, 鈥19. Matthews is the owner and chef of restaurant and food truck.

Alumnus Will Matthews, owner Southern Comfort Kitchen

 

鈥淪oul food is kind of what comes with the name: comforting,鈥 said Matthews. 鈥淵ou, know, it warms you up inside. Soul food is like the bark of conversation, family unity. Everyone gathers around with a whole bunch of food. For some people, it鈥檚 traditional soul food, your macaroni, your beans your collard greens and stuff like that. It鈥檚 a whole wide, range of comfort food, but really it鈥檚 about the feeling you get.鈥

Creole dishes served at the event included dirty rice, jambalaya, seafood pasta and bread pudding. Matthews鈥 advice to people who haven鈥檛 tried southern creole food is 鈥淒on鈥檛 be afraid to get out of your box,鈥 he said. 鈥淧eople come to my restaurant and say, 鈥業鈥檝e never had crawfish,鈥 'I鈥檝e never had this or that.鈥 But they don鈥檛 even know what it tastes like because of the way it鈥檚 perceived, or the way people put it out on social media, rather than going forward and trying it, and having their own experience.鈥

Students enjoyed Southern Creole cuisine

 

Dinner, with a side of heartfelt inspiration

At the event, students were invited to get a plate of food and then dine while Matthews engaged with a panel of students for a question-and-answer session. Matthews shared that his success as a Black business owner came from years of hard work, beginning while he was still a student at Kent State. As an entrepreneurship major in the College of Business Administration, he knew that he wanted to start his own business one day but hadn鈥檛 decided on what sort of business it would be.

Then, a combination of boredom with his food options on and off campus, along with a bit of homesickness for the tastes of his native New Orleans inspired him to begin cooking for himself. And for his roommates and his teammates on Kent State's team. Matthews received good reviews from the people who had tasted his food. He also recognized that there was an opportunity to bring New Orleans-style cuisine to the area.

Students enjoying comforting soul food and conversation at the SMC

Starting his business

Through networking, dedication and a lot of hard work, he was able to start and maintain a successful food truck business 鈥 all while he was still in school and playing football for Kent State. 鈥淔or anyone here who is aspiring to start a business, it should never be a thing about time, because you can make time for what you want,鈥 he said.

Matthews made time for his business and continued operating his food truck. Then, an opportunity arose for him to open a restaurant in Akron. Right now, his Southern Comfort Kitchen is connected to a bar, which helps feed his business. 鈥淏ut definitely the end goal is to have my own standalone restaurant and continue to build from there, with possible multiple locations,鈥 he said.

鈥淭ake advantage of what鈥檚 in front of you鈥

Throughout the question-and-answer session, Matthews gave credit and thanks to the educators and mentors who have inspired him and helped him along his path to success. He also advised the students in attendance to take advantage of the opportunities and resources available to them at Kent State. 鈥淜ent, in general, has a lot of resources,鈥 he said. 鈥淕o out and take advantage of them because once you鈥檙e done, nothing is free. Take advantage of them and figure out what you need to.鈥

鈥淚 had a professor my freshman year and I鈥檝e been back to talk to her class,鈥 Matthews said. 鈥淪he put me in a position to do many things and she sends a lot of people to my business. That鈥檚 a relationship that, if I were a 鈥榢nucklehead鈥 student or if I were somebody who didn鈥檛 care about school, I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to have that. So, take advantage of what鈥檚 in front of you.鈥

SMC Director Michael Daniels and Will Matthews

Michael Daniels, Ph.D., director of the Student Multicultural Center, called Matthews 鈥渁n inspiration鈥 as a "Black business owner, a young gifted and Black man who has worked extremely hard鈥 and 鈥渟omeone you want to show up every chance you get.鈥 Daniels encouraged the students to visit Matthews鈥 restaurant with their friends and families.

The event continued with more food from Matthews' restaurant, more discussion about the culture and comfort of soul food, some games and even some line dancing.

The restaurant is located in the Highland Square neighborhood of Akron.

POSTED: Thursday, March 2, 2023 11:04 AM
Updated: Friday, March 3, 2023 03:50 PM
WRITTEN BY:
Phil B. Soencksen