Soul & Smoke Owner Values Working With Other Black Owned Businesses

D’ Andre Carter is the co-owner of Soul & Smoke, located in Evanston. Photo provided by Purple Group.
D’ Andre Carter is the co-owner of Soul & Smoke, located in Evanston. Photo provided by Purple Group.

Soul & Smoke Owner Values Working With Other Black Owned Businesses

By Tia Carol Jones

D’Andre Carter and his wife Heather Bublick opened Soul & Smoke in Evanston in 2020. It originally started in 2015 as a catering business. Carter was a chef in fine dining and wanted to venture off and start his own business. With Soul & Smoke, Carter serves the food that he grew up with, barbecue ribs, baked chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese and cornbread.

The Soul & Smoke Restaurant is part of the Illinois Made program and is listed on the Enjoy Illinois website. Carter partnered with the Illinois Office of Tourism to recommend other Black owned businesses that he enjoys. Carter’s picks include cocktails at the Cantina Rosa, caviar from the Caviar Dream, the Kölsch from the Moor’s Brewing Company and the caramel cake from Brown Sugar Bakery.

Carter said he wanted to highlight other Black owned businesses because he never forgot his journey and he knows the value of working together and having the support of other businesses. When he left fine dining, he needed his network of friends to put in a good word for him as he was starting out as an entrepreneur with his catering business.

“I knew that we needed a strong support system to get to this level in business, so I felt that it was only right since Soul & Smoke built such a strong presence here in Chicago, to give back and try my best to pull up other Black owned businesses in Chicago,” he said. He added that Black owned businesses need as much support as possible.

Carter said that the Cantina Rosa is one of the best premium bars in Chicago. He said Chef Eric Williams and his team have created a perfect vibe that blends a sophisticated space that is also intimate at the Hyde Park location, and the drinks are incredible. Carter has known Caviar Dreams co-owner Kendra Anderson for a while and he really respects her hustle, as the first Black-owned caviar business in the United States. He said Caviar Dreams really pushes the envelope with their unique pairings.

“As a chef, I appreciate anyone who’s breaking down barriers in fine dining and luxury food,” he said. He said that he uses Caviar Dreams for special events and it is always a conversation starter.

Carter said that the Moor’s Brewing Company was the first to put a Black face on a beer can. He said as an up-and-coming powerhouse, based in Chicago, they are breaking barriers and are set to go national. He said after a long day in the kitchen the Moor’s Kolsch is a crisp and refreshing way to unwind. He said it is exciting to see a Black owned brewery succeed in the beer, wine and spirits industry. He said that Moor’s Brewing Company is a gamechanger in the industry.

He said that everyone knows Stephanie Hart’s caramel cake from the Brown Sugar Bakery. He said it is dangerous in the best way possible. He said it is a dessert that reminds him of home and people can taste the care in every bite. The Brown Sugar Bakery is also Soul & Smoke’s dessert partner, so people who visit the barbecue restaurant can also get the desserts here.

Carter said that he definitely appreciates the support people give Soul & Smoke during Black History Month and wants to encourage people to support them all year round. He said that being part of the Illinois Made program has helped Soul & Smoke with exposure and helped bring awareness and business to the restaurant.

The Soul & Smoke is located at 1601 Payne St. in Evanston, there is also a location inside the Accenture at 500 W. Madison St. and in Avondale at 3057 N Rockwell St. For more information about the Soul & Smoke Restaurant, visit www.soulandsmoke.com. For more information about the Illinois Made program, visit www.enjoyillinois.com.

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