MAITLAND, Fla. – To celebrate Black Business Month, News 6 spoke with the owner of a Louisiana-style restaurant in Maitland.
A retirement plan turned into a passion for Kentrail Davis when he made it his mission to bring Louisiana-style Cajun cuisine to Orlando.
Recommended Videos
[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]
Davis is a retired baseball player from the Milwaukee Brewers who moved from Mobile, Alabama, to Orlando in 2016.
He opened Brick & Spoon in Orlando in 2020 after realizing there was nothing in the city that represented the food he grew up with.
[ADD YOUR BUSINESS TO THE FLORIDA FOODIE DIRECTORY]
“After living here for four and a half years, I noticed there was nothing Louisiana Cajun-style in Orlando,” Davis said. “So I figured the recipes were good and this was kind of like my home food. I grew up on shrimp and grits and I noticed brunch is really popular in Orlando but there was nothing of the Louisiana cuisine, so I figured it was the perfect match to bring to the city.”
Davis opened Brick & Spoon after his baseball colleague offered him the business idea and he said he ended up opening the restaurant and bringing the franchise out of Louisiana.
Now as a business owner, he said he does a little bit of everything from cooking to taking care of the customers.
Check out the Florida Foodie podcast. You can find every episode in the media player below:
Davis said the business has been successful and accepted by the community.
“We have tons of regulars who have been coming since we opened, even supporting us through COVID,” Davis said. “So, it’s been super positive and super successful. It has been really a blessing.”
As a Black business owner, Davis gave some words of advice for Black entrepreneurs who dream of opening their own businesses.
“Business is hard but being a business owner definitely has its perks,” Davis said. “It’s a lot of hard work but it’s worth it. It’s always worth it working for yourself. Giving back to the community is probably one of the most fulfilling things you could ever ask for.”
Davis said he hopes that Brick & Spoon continues to grow, have quality service and build more locations to connect with more communities around Orlando.
Currently, Davis said he is working with the franchise to add new items to their menu and more healthy options so they can cater to the diverse Orlando community.
He said he is very grateful for the Maitland community and their continued support of his restaurant.
“I’m just happy, grateful and blessed to be in the situation we’re in,” Davis said. “I’m extremely lucky to have the space in Maitland. The city of Maitland has been great to us and they helped us put our brand out there in the city with their heavy support. We get customers from all over Winter Park, Daytona and I’m just truly grateful for the support.”
Brick & Spoon Orlando is located at 933 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland FL 32751.
It’s open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
For more information, click here.