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
GREENSBORO, NC – ‘Cille and ‘Scoe, located at 312 S Elm St, Greensboro, NC 27401, is one of the best restaurants in Greensboro. Everything was locally sourced and handmade, even the pasta is made in house. I absolutely loved the chef inspired cuisine, the service, and the space. We started out with their Ruben Revisited…
CHARLOTTE, NC – We truly enjoyed visiting Black restaurants throughout North Carolina but finding good brunch spots proved challenging. Thankfully, we reached out to our social media followers who came through by directing us to Uptown Yolk located at the corner of Catherine and, 1220 S Tryon St, Winnifred St #500, Charlotte, NC 28203. We…
Winston-Salem, NC – The Carolinas are deservedly at the core of any conversation regarding the history of African American cuisine. We had an opportunity to indulge at a restaurant keeping the spirit of our people’s rich culinary deliciousness alive and well. Sweet Potatoes located at 607 Trade St NW, Winston-Salem, NC 27101 earned the top…
Durham, NC – We were having a great time in Durham as we continued the North Carolina Black Foodie Tour. We battled the elements and ended up at a delicious space that made up for the terrible weather, Beyu Caffè located at 341 W Main St, Durham, NC 27701. Our first entrée was my favorite. The French…
South Florida is experiencing an interesting culinary shift. An influx of New Yorkers and Californians has spurred new restaurant concepts in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach, giving South Floridians a break from the usual. Well, a new eatery in Pembroke Pines is right in the mix making some delicious noise with their daily…
ATLANTA, GA – I rarely order Alfredo pasta because the sauce is usually boring. Crabman305 Atlanta, located at 27 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30305, is one of the few exceptions, a chef able to create a memorable seafood Alfredo pasta by jazzing up the flavor with soulful seasoning. This version included tenderly prepared white,…
ATLANTA, GA – When we walked into Old Lady Gang located at 177 Peters St SW, Atlanta, GA 30313 we encountered a noticeably unclean dining room, perpetually un-bussed tables, and an inattentive serving staff. I usually don’t trip about these types of things, but as I continue critiquing restaurants across the U.S., I find a…
DURHAM, NC – Father God, I beseech you Oh Lord. For it was you who used a small boy in taking his five loaves and two fish to be miraculously multiplied to feed a multitude of people, thus setting the example for African Americans to this day, to enjoy fried fish and bread at our…
Follow us on social media @thehungryblackman for more amazing Black owned eateries across the United States and adding to your foodie-indulgence list! Or subscribe to our blog by placing your email below for up-to-date emails and newsletters Palm Beach County can be rough when it comes to the food scene. With cities named Loxahatchee Groves,…
Follow us on social media @thehungryblackman for more amazing Black owned eateries across the United States and adding to your foodie-indulgence list! Or subscribe to our blog by placing your email below for up-to-date emails and newsletters Being from the 305, Broward was often considered foreign and unexplored land. It is also home to many…