LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new restaurant is opening in the West End on Derby Week, but it'll have a familiar name and face.
Chef Shaq Kitchen is opening a second location at 2300 West Market Street on May 1.
"My vision, honestly, is to have at least 4-5 locations; I'm really passionate about what we're doing and I think we're going in the right direction," owner and chef Shaquan McDonald said.
The new location is nestled right on the border of the Russell and Portland neighborhoods.
"I do have a lot of people that eat here that are from the Portland area, families that come sit and eat, they're pretty excited about me coming," said McDonald. "So, I'm excited."
He said he's been planning to expand since the beginning of the year, saying he knew from the start the new location was going to be in the West End.
"One thing about the West End is they don't have a lot of healthy options," McDonald said. "I even have a vegan menu. I've got some things going on that will be really beneficial to the area."
He said business at the downtown location, on the corner of S 5th and West Chestnut Streets, has grown since opening in 2022.
"2022, it was hard, we struggled," McDonald said. "2023 we start to see it just jump up dramatically. 2024, we arrived. We're doing fine."
McDonald also said the business has outgrown the corner space in downtown, and told WHAS11 he is trying to move the downtown location to Fourth Street.
“We’ve got a chef coming in and he’s going to take the reins of this location while I go get the second location ready to rock and roll,” he said.
And if you're walking by either the downtown or West End location and don't know what to order, the chef himself has a recommendation.
"We’ve got a chicken sandwich called the Louisville Hot Chicken Sandwich," he said. "It has nothing but flavor with a hint of spice. When I tell you it causes problems, it causes problems."
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