Starex Smith is an accomplished and experienced public administrator, fundraiser, foodie, and culinary business developer who has committed himself to maximizing the Black experience in the United States! He currently serves as Vice President of Strategy and Development for Black Tech Week with over twelve (12) years of experience in managing public/private partnerships, large scale events, and nonprofits. He has successfully raised over 20 million dollars in funding for various governmental entities, food companies, and individuals. Starex has assisted countless food industry businesses successfully obtain funding, taking mom and pop storefronts to scalable businesses. His success in working with restaurants sparked a passion for food and entrepreneurship which led to the launching of Sothern Bytes, a teaching platform food business dedicated to an ever evolving food industry with a focus on technology, culture and innovation. Having constantly run into stereotyping negatively affecting his dining and vacationing experiences, Starex decided to curate great destinations, restaurants, and discuss issues surrounding being a hungry Black man. Starex completed both his Bachelor’s and Master’s coursework in Public Administration at Florida International University where he served as president of the Black Student Union and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Lambda Tau Chapter
Which food item brings a smile to most faces just by thinking of it? That would be a freshly fried donut! I’ve experienced several amazing Black owned donut brands throughout the nation and one of my absolute favorites is Pharaoh Donuts located at 202 N 9th St, St. Louis, MO 63101. The shop is the…
Charlotte, NC is increasingly becoming one of my favorite cities to visit. Our team made our way there from Miami as a part of our 4th Annual Black Foodie Tour in celebration of National Black Business Month. After a customer at my ice cream store in Miami Gardens raved about the quality of the cakes…
There are very few confections that provide the satisfaction of a great doughnut. Miami isn’t necessarily a town known for great doughnuts, but we have hidden gems, like my favorites, Mojo Doughnuts, and Salty Doughnuts, both serving up amazing specialty doughnuts daily. They’re good, but my loyalty remains with the Black owned DAT DOUGHNUTS in…
By Michelle Hollinger MIAMI, Fla. – Starex Smith is known to hundreds of thousands of followers nationwide as The Hungry Black Man, a brand born of his love of good food, the Black eateries that serve it and his insatiable desire to tell everyone about his dining experiences. The online blog regularly presents Smith’s lively…
Our 4th Annual National Black Business Month Foodie Tour took us to several cities, including my favorite, Charlotte, NC. Florida’s ridiculous size and shape make taking a quick road trip to other states challenging, but when you finally get out of the state, driving becomes a bit more exciting and eventful. We arrived in…
Last year I attended the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia with a beautiful Black queen I dated when dating in person could be done worry free. The experience was horrible. I paid over $400 for the VIP tickets to hear artists singing along to tracks, there were no chairs and we were swept up in a…
Suite Food Lounge could easily be mistaken for a swanky boutique hotel. This beautifully designed restaurant and lounge has two floors and enough space to be converted into a full movie theater to screen an episode of Donald Glover’s hit show, “Atlanta,” fitting, because this is by far Atlanta’s largest Black owned restaurant. It is…
FRENCH TOAST! Yes, right out the gate I’m preparing you for some of the best French toast you’ll have in all of Orlando at this newly opened Brunch forward eatery. Kentrail Davis (Former Milwaukee Brewers Professional Baseball Player) opened Brick & Spoon inside the Villages at Lake Lily located at 933 S Orlando Ave, Maitland,…
Aside from vegans and vegetarians, who doesn’t like chicken wings? Based on their efforts to replicate the dish with cauliflower, gluten and other creative ingredients, they’re apparently one of the most difficult animal based proteins for vegans and vegetarians to forsake. Chicken is the heritage bird in African-American cuisine; and with low country cooking it…
In the early 1990’s I was in the 5thgrade and walked home from school. Every Friday, Mrs. Mary Allen fried fish, chicken, shrimp and curly fries for her church’s dinner sale. Because I was a nerdy and devout Christian kid (it worked on me), the seniors in my neighborhood loved me. I helped them clean…