Brown, 54, a Chestnut Hill native, has a long history with Philadelphia food as a caterer, restaurant owner and corporate chef. But there was always something missing, she reflected recently.
She yearned for something more intimate where she could focus on her passion for Creole food, born of her family roots in Louisiana.
Johnson, 24, is a focused, driven Temple film studies grad who was Miss Pennsylvania in 2007. She has aspirations of acting - and going to graduate school for a business degree - but would rather work with Mom.
Last fall, the stars aligned when the pair found a small space in a rowhouse basement on tony Germantown Avenue. Chestnut Hill's main shopping artery is clogged with antiques shops, art galleries and specialty stores, along with a handful of restaurants, many of which have moved toward American pub-style fare.
It seemed the Hill was ready for a breath of fresh air.
Soul opened in late October, and by early December, the duo was stunned when Soul landed a Zagat rating and the Zagat Guide's coveted "best new restaurant in Philly" award, as well as a glowing review from the local Chestnut Hill newspaper.
"We were so happy," said Brown, a super-energetic blonde who bubbles as she talks. "It was like, after less than two months, it was a sign we'd done the right thing."
"In college [for a course], I'd done plans for a restaurant. I'd always wanted one," said Johnson. "I grew up in restaurants. It's always been an ambition of mine."
A lifelong love of food
Brown was born and raised in Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill.
