Rolling out spoke with the charismatic owner of Chicago’s beloved soul food restaurant, Oooh Wee It Is, Mark Walker. He shares the inspiring journey of his restaurant’s evolution and recounts the unexpected moment his restaurant was mentioned by Golden Globe winner Ayo Edebiri. Walker opens up about his style of cooking, why it resonates with people and how things have changed since the Golden Globes.
Talk about the history of your restaurant.
I started selling the tea at Harold’s Chicken in December of 2014. It went over so well that first year. I sold 286,000 cups of tea, standing next to a soda machine. I started this restaurant brand in 2019 and six months later I opened my Chatham location. Now I have a chain of restaurants. It’s kind of surreal.
Why does your food resonate with people?
I think that soul food, in general, is made with love and passion, which makes it taste really good. I was born and raised as the son of a preacher, and a mom who understood love and compassion with nine kids.
We’re cooking like they did, but with a twist. These recipes we use now are my own. We make Hennessy wings, pot roast cupcakes, lamb chops, and shrimp and grits — stuff you wouldn’t find at a regular soul food restaurant. We’ve also got a cereal bar with over a hundred types of cereal for the younger crowd.
Where were you when you heard your restaurant was mentioned by Ayo Edebiri at the Golden Globes?
I was at home, cleaning, and my sister in California, who’s in the entertainment industry, called me. A friend of hers at the Golden Globes heard the speech and instantly sent her a message. He was recording it. She sent it to me. I knew nothing about the show ‘The Bear” or the actors. I started googling and found out it was filmed here in Chicago. Of course, I’m watching it now.
With all this new attention, how have things changed for you?
We’ve seen a lot of new faces. We had a surge in Asian and Latin X customers who’d never tried our food before. I’m grateful for the exposure, not just for our restaurant, but for our staff and for putting Chicago on the map. I’m focused on creating generational wealth and ensuring my employees make a living wage. We’ll do the right thing with this buzz.
What message do you have for someone looking to elevate their life?
Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is the price tag for success. It’s not until you’ve truly failed that you’ve truly succeeded. An “X” on your back is just a cross, crooked. Turn it around and make it something. Stop sitting on your visions and dreams. Try something. Don’t worry about income, credit scores or knowledge. Put your visions and dreams to work. You’ll get where you need to be.
Oooh Wee It Is is located at 33 E 83rd St, Chicago, Illinois, 60619
