Our DNA What drives us every day is to make the world a healthier and happier place! We are here to disrupt the way the restaurant industry operates and to improve the health and wellbeing of people across the globe. Healthier people are simply happier people. For way too many years, the fast food industry has gotten rich by peddling unhealthy processed food that offers no nutritional value, but satisfies the lowest common denominator in consumer’s tastes, by providing cheap meals (not so cheap these days) based on sodium, sugar and fat. Our mission is to shift this paradigm and instead offer freshly prepared, healthy and delicious meals that everyone can afford, so the world becomes a healthier and happier place. This is what drives us every day and is in our DNA! Our Story In 1985, Christian de Berdouare, also known as the Chief Chickenologist, with a few thousand dollars in his pocket, left his native France and moved to the USA in quest of the American dream. After 35 years of perseverance, dedication, hard work and multiple setbacks, he went on to open 25 locations in two States, Florida and Texas. It all started in the fall of 1985, when Chicken Kitchen® opened its first store in New York City, at the corner of 62 street and Second Avenue, in a tiny 300 square foot location, selling marinated grilled chicken and a few freshly prepared side orders. What made Chicken Kitchen® different in those early days, when fast food restaurants only sold fried food or greasy hamburgers, was the fact that it was the only concept in Manhattan selling freshly grilled, tender, juicy and delicious chicken in an open kitchen setting. While walking on Second Avenue, you could smell the captivating aroma of grilled chicken and Greek oregano from a mile away, and as customers approached the store, they were mesmerized by the dozens of chickens grilling behind the front glass window, facing the street. Soon, the word spread and the toughest consumers in the world, New Yorkers, lined up a bloc outside the store to buy great tasting food and generous portions at prices that everyone could afford… a rarity in New York. That’s how it all started! Our Food Back in 1985, when America was still hooked on greasy hamburgers and fried food, we were one of the very few concepts nationwide to offer freshly prepared, great tasting and healthy meals, made from high quality, natural ingredients at affordable prices. Nothing canned, frozen or processed, no hormones, antibiotics or GMO’s in our food. It’s either grilled, broiled or steamed, instead of being fried, reheated or microwaved. Our all-natural chicken is grilled on an open-flame in full view of the customers and is served with tasty side orders, prepared from scratch, in small batches all day long in our sparkling Kitchens. It was revolutionary! No one thought that healthy food could taste that good, but it does! 35 years later, that same formula, commitment to quality, freshness and value is what continues to make Chicken Kitchen® so unique and special. Our World By providing freshly prepared, great tasting and healthy food at reasonable prices, Chicken Kitchen® goal is to make the world a better, healthier and ultimately a happier place. We strongly believe that access to better nutrition will change the world for the best, since a healthier population will live longer, happier and have more productive lives. It will also save us all billions of dollars annually in healthcare costs, a win for all! We also believe in enriching the lives of all the constituents that belong to our eco-system, whether it’s the local farm, our small produce distributor, the dedicated hard working people who provide exceptional service to our guests or the loyal customers who come eat our food every day. Every decision we make as a business ties back to each of these constituents and we know that our ultimate success is dependent on the happiness and satisfaction that we ultimately provide to all of them. With this philosophy driving our company culture and decision making, we believe we can create amazing value for our guests, support for our local businesses and communities and develop a strong team of loyal and dedicated professionals who derive joy and meaning from their work. That’s the world that we strive to build! Our Community We are proud to be involved with many local charities, schools and organizations that make our community a better place, but the Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship Program, founded by the Chief Chickenologist’s wife, Jennifer Valoppi, is the local charity that is closest to our hearts. Women of Tomorrow is focused on improving the lives of the most vulnerable young women in public high schools, thru a unique mentoring program with accomplished professionals and offers scholarship opportunities to higher education. Chicken Kitchen® has been supporting this very special organization, since it was founded in Miami, back in 1997 and is the charitable organization that we are the most proud to support. Learn more about Women of Tomorrow here