Entering into Soul Good, you’ll be greeted with a hearty “Welcome to Soul Good!” as gospel music plays from the speakers near the counter.
Located at 1518 University Ave. in Mechanicsville, Soul Good is a Black-owned restaurant which started in April 2021. It’s owned by Andrew and Ashley Osakue. Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Andrew Osakue worked in the food industry before moving to Memphis, Tennessee, a day before Hurricane Katrina landed. He worked in marketing before becoming a pastor.
Soul Good started when Osakue moved to Knoxville to plant a church in a low income neighborhood. He opened the restaurant to help single mothers and those struggling with drug addictions and distribution in the area, in part to locate leaders within the community and allow them to utilize their skills rather than just deliver supplies. It became an outlet to help more than just serve food.
“Our vision is just elevating leaders and entrepreneurs in this community, and that’s why Soul Good is here,” Osakue said. “Not so much the passion for cooking, but the passion for people, the passion for mothers to make sure they have opportunities.”
They’ve recently added a food truck to their services, which has appeared at the University of Tennessee.
Along with that, Osakue said that there are four reasons why the restaurant opened: John 17 in the Bible, elevating leaders and entrepreneurs, serving the servants and to give people happy stomachs.
“So those are our big idea, core values,” Osakue said. “Everything wrapped in love … Everything wrapped in Jesus.”
As for their food, Soul Good serves a variety of options. They have fish sandwiches authentically seasoned Cajun style, wings and thighs prepared by hand with homemade sauces and a sandwich called the Soul Melt with chicken, turkey and two types of cheese.
“So, I’d say our wings, our tenders, our fish are up there, but then that Soul Melt is creeping up if you like a good sandwich,” Osakue said.
They’ve also added burgers like the Soul Burger Supreme to the menu as well as barbecue options every Saturday. There’s plenty more on their menu as well, with plans to expand the menu further in April — like adding snow cones for the summer.
Soul food from the Black-owned restaurant Soul Good, located at 1518 University Ave. in Mechanicsville.
But, Soul Good is more than just the food. They want everyone and anyone to come into the restaurant and feel welcomed. Osakue talked about the community response to the restaurant, mentioning how government officials like Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, the entire UT football team with the marching band and the surrounding community have come in to support the restaurant. He tries to make the restaurant as easy to access as possible regardless of money.
“It’s just been overwhelming to see the love that’s been shown,” Osakue said. “And a lot of people talk about the service just as much as the food. We are big on love. I hope you see that. Everybody that’s walking through the door, you can see that clearly. Love is the key ingredient, but it’s grown among all people.”
They’ve made waves within the local community, bringing in revenue and helping those that leave even across the street from their business.
“We’ve gotten more thank you’s because we’re the only people that’s really here right now in a place that isn’t heavily income generating, just because of the income that’s around it,” Osakue said. “But when you start reaching out to schools and other parts of town, it’s been really cool. It’s been an amazing reception, and people seem to really appreciate having a neighborhood spot that’s been done with excellence. They walk in and look around and say, ‘This is representative of us.’ On the walls, there’s not just pictures of famous people, but there’s pictures of people from the community.”
Along with their wall of people, Soul Good has created jobs for those that need them. For example, one of their workers recently celebrated a year of sobriety because Osakue gave her a job.
Another worker who’s been impacted by Soul Good is chef Jas Hall. Hall came into the restaurant soon after it had opened. She met with Osakue, who offered her a job. She’s been there for almost a year.
“When I came into Soul Good, they immediately became my second family,” Hall said. “They welcomed me with open arms, never feeling judged. Andrew is a great person. Everybody here is good to work around and feel like we’re just one family.”
Working at Soul Good, Hall talked about how it has increased her faith and helped her in her understanding of Christian values, especially with the prayer wall that allows people to leave prayer requests.
“Coming in here and getting to know God, more than I thought I knew God, opened up a lot for me,” Hall said. “Now, I pray out loud more, I know how to love more and forgive more. We have Bible study every morning, so each day I learn something that I thought I knew that I didn’t know. That’s been a big impact on me, and just having a family that I know that I can call on.”
This is what Osakue has defined as a success within his business. It’s not about the money or necessarily growing his restaurant. It’s about reaching, helping and encouraging people. Even through trials and tribulations, Osakue reflected on what his restaurant has done and the attention it has drawn since they’ve opened. He tried to describe everything that’s happened because of the restaurant, but couldn’t quite put it into words.
One of the owners of Soul Good, Andrew Osakue, stands outside of their restaurant in Mechanicsville.
“How do you quantify that?” Osakue said. “I’m being honest with you, you don’t. All I can tell you is God has done it, and I’m overwhelmed and humbled that I get to witness and be a part of what He’s done. Because we’ve always kept it about Him, and we’ve always kept it about love. And as long as that has stayed our recipe, no matter what challenge we face, we’ve always come out better and stronger because of it.”
“If you need one word … it would be overwhelmed in every sense of the word. We are a miracle in the making, and I don’t believe we’re anywhere near done,” Osakue said.
As part of their success, Osakue talked about their plans for the one year anniversary of Soul Good. On April 3, they will be serving free food, delivering testimonies and having a party for as long as the food is available.
Another part of this continuous success is connecting to students, especially through the usage of the food truck on UT’s campus. Along with how he would expand, Osakue wants to reach more people on campus and be a place for them to gather and seek refuge if they need it, equating it to making love connections, which he pulled from the title of the old television game show.
“Hopefully, they see that email as more than just a catering order, but a family that you can reach out to,” Osakue said. “So I just see us wrapping our arms around the most unconventional places and just multiplying that effect, hopefully finding leaders that can carry our culture into all the unconventional spaces of the world.”
Soul Good is a Black-owned restaurant in Mechanicsville just outside of UT's campus, owned by Andrew and Ashley Osakue.
Along with catering purposes, Osakue said that the restaurant’s email [email protected], as well as their social media accounts, are available and open for any inquiry. Regardless of what someone needs, he wants to help everyone to the best of his ability.
“We care about you,” Osakue said. “And anytime you could use a word of encouragement, a hug or even if you like to eat a good meal, we’re here for you, and that’s the biggest thing.”
Osakue wants to serve the Knoxville community with love, faith and food. That’s what Soul Good is all about.
“That’s the essence of Soul Good,” Osakue said. “We really care and we really love.”
