Sauce Boss Southern Kitchen owner Chef Julius Thompson wanted the customer experience at his restaurant to capture his own childhood experience when he would eat at his grandmother’s house. It’s happening. From the aromas to the tastes to the decor, this gem, located in Draper, Utah in the Salt Lake City area, is winning over the hearts and mouths of locals and visitors. Chef Julius has been successful in emulating the same happy, loving energy that one could feel at his grandmother’s table in the food he serves and in the warm hug-filled atmospher
With spectacular culinary specialties using African and American ingredients, Sauce Boss is thrilling customers with boneless chicken thighs freshly breaded with herbs and spices, then fried and served with our maple hot sauce to cornmeal breaded catfish filet served crispy with soul sauce to their aptly named “Messy Boy” which is a sandwich of mashed potatoes and brown gravy in the middle of two fried pork chops … wow! After realizing I could top things off with a piece of sweet potato pie and cheesecake swirled and baked in a graham cracker crust, I wanted to learn more. Below are highlights from our conversation.
What menu items have been passed down through your family generations?
Some of our most popular dishes are nostalgic for me as they are made with the same flavors I tasted as a child in the foods prepared by my grandmother, aunts, and uncles. But the actual recipes we use are new. That is because my relatives were old-school in their cooking and added ingredients without measuring yet it would always come out perfect. For our restaurant, I brought in the spirit, heart, and soul of my heritage while spending years combining ingredients and creating recipes until I tasted the same familiar flavors. We are so proud to make this the central theme of our menu offerings.
How big was the customer impact after being featured on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives?”
Huge. Guy’s audience is very big and eager to discover new restaurants across the country. It was a great experience meeting him and taping the episode. Whenever the show re-airs we get a rush of customers for the next few weeks that follow. It meant so much that they showcased our restaurant and food as well as my autobiography.
How important has social media been to your branding and customer engagement?
Social media has played a pivotal role in our popularity because it brings such power through word-of-mouth in posts and shares. We are so appreciative to our customers who enthusiastically post their own photos as this is real-time marketing with authentic communications. On the flip side with social media, everyone has a voice, and any mistake restaurants make gets blasted all over. At Sauce Boss, we do all we can to ensure our food is fabulous and customer service is exemplary on every visit.
Tell us about your autobiography and the 12 children’s books you have written.
The first 20 years of my life I experienced traumas due to poverty, homelessness, violence and more. And when I finally had my feet on the ground and opened my restaurant, the pandemic hit just nine months later, and my sales dropped about 70 percent. Dealing with yet another challenge, I wrote my autobiography, Pearls: The Chronological Interview of One of Americas Forgotten Children. It was well received prompting me to write children’s books to inspire, motivate, and enhance the minds of young people. It has been a very meaningful journey knowing my books are reaching the next generation with a message of perseverance and optimism.
What is your advice for aspiring restaurateurs?
Build a business plan that includes your personal reasons for wanting to open a restaurant because during stressful and chaotic times you will constantly need to rely on your “why” to keep moving forward. And, on the food, remember no dish is ever “finished” there is always room for improvement so it’s important to be humble and run your business with integrity and your customers will keep coming back.
Tenyse Williams is an award-winning Brand Strategist, an Adjunct Instructional Specialist at Columbia University and George Washington University, and Founder & Chief Communications Officer of Verified Consulting, leading a team of digital marketing professionals amplifying awareness for their clients. Follow her on LinkedIn.
