Black History Spotlight Podcast: Soul Food

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - No matter what homestyle food you love, it’s usually on the menu inside a black soul food restaurant.

The sizzle of fried chicken in Myrtle Beach goes back as far as Mrs. Frances’ Kitchen in 1949.

Mrs. Frances Bowens was known for putting her foot into some good ol’ southern dishes.

At first, her restaurant was sacred, only known by Black Grand Strand locals and visitors.

Until 1978, when a local newspaper review sent white South Carolinians following the smell to the Booker T. Washington community.

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Mrs. Frances died in 1983, but not before passing her restaurant onto her son, Prince, who kept Prince’s Place going with the good eats going until the early 2000′s.

Nowadays, there’s Big Mike’s Soul Food keeping the grease hot as a South Carolina summer.

Mike Chestnut, owner, and Myrtle Beach councilman decided to bring southern eats back to the Grand Strand in 2012.

Big Mike credits much of his recipes to his mom but his culinary roots go deeper.

A dishwasher at 12, a commercial cook at 14, and a restaurateur by 50.

Be it chicken bog, collard greens, or catfish, Big Mike’s mission is to keep the soul along the Grand Strand.

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