Our Story

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Our Story

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Big Mike

Michael Chestnut always had a dream “to have a place where people could come and enjoy a good meal like it was made at mama’s house.”

“Big Mike” is a business man and community servant who wears many hats. He is a husband, father, restaurateur, city councilman, real estate agent, and church deacon.

Inspired at an early age by his mother’s ability to work magic in kitchen, she was able to produce delicious, filling meals seemingly from nothing. Mike’s restaurant experience began at 12 years old, working at local establishments in Myrtle Beach. The chefs noticed that he displayed a keen interest in helping them plan and prepare meals. With a fascination for learning more and natural talent in the kitchen, he was mentored by skilled chefs, which allowed him to develop an appreciation for the craft.

Mike advanced quickly in his positions in the kitchen and ultimately became a restaurant general manager of a 125-person operation. He served in that capacity for 8 years. Mike formalized and refined his cooking skills by attending the culinary program at Horry-Georgetown Technical College. While he has extensive experience preparing fine dining dishes, Mike’s passion is cooking down-home southern food. Mike previously operated an independent catering business and owned the 5^th Ave Grill in Myrtle Beach.

Family-owned business

Big Mike’s Soul Food has been open since March 2012. The food is cooked to order, and the motto is “good food at a fair price”. The restaurant is a family owned business. Business partner and wife, Maxine, is a crucial part of the operation and success. Mike and Maxine have 3 children who make valuable contributions to the restaurant. Michael, Jr., works as the general manager. Occasionally, Michael, Jr., gets assistance from his wife Candis in the restaurant. Marcus, a business graduate of Newberry College, contributes in different roles. Marcus has the goal of expanding the restaurant to different locations. Daughter, Miccaela, a pharmacy student at Georgia State University, pitches in where needed when visiting home.

Community Focus

Big Mike’s is staffed by a good crew of customer-oriented individuals. Most of the employees are from the community and are long-term residents who are dedicated to treating customers with courtesy and respect. Big Mike’s staff serves up big plates of southern comfort food and southern hospitality to locals and visitors to Myrtle Beach. The restaurant offers a variety of dishes that are sure to fill up your stomach and feed your soul. There are options for hearty meals or light eating. Some of the more popular dishes include: fried chicken, fried fish, collard greens, mac and cheese, and corn bread.

Mike plans to continue to support the Myrtle Beach community and has a vision to inspire other minority-owned business ventures.

Contact Us

Have a question? Well we have answers. Drop us a line and we will get back with you as soon as we are done serving up these fresh dishes!

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Contact Us

Have a question? Well we have answers. Drop us a line and we will get back with you as soon as we are done serving up these fresh dishes!