FOOD NEWS
Whatever Happened To Blackberry's From Kitchen Nightmares?
By Stacie Adams
Like many restaurants featured on Chef Gordon Ramsay's "Kitchen Nightmares," Blackberry's, a family-owned soul food establishment, was plagued with internal conflict.
Owner Shelly Withers' tyrannical operational style and unpalatable food failed to draw customers, which led Ramsay to develop a brand-new menu.
However, Withers was extremely reluctant to heed Ramsay's advice, and it eventually led to her restaurant's demise, which had an average customer rating of 2.5.
The majority of the reviews for Blackberry's were negative, but there were some positive reviews, indicating it had potential if its owner was open to change.
However, Ramsay couldn't rescue the establishment from its owner, and according to the restaurant's Facebook page, it closed down in 2013.
Today, according to Withers' LinkedIn page, she is employed by Aramark, which supplies food services, uniforms, and other items to businesses.
However, Mateen Booker, the former sous chef at Blackberry's, is now an executive chef at OTG Management, a hospitality business operating in numerous airports, per his LinkedIn.