Kim Prince

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​ Kim Prince is a third generation restaurateur with a knack for frying chicken running through her veins.  Since the age of eight, she recalls being the "Pickle Bucket Girl" at the family restaurant in Nashville, TN.  The Prince's of Nashville Tennessee, are recognized and awarded as the creators of: Nashville Hot Chicken.  What is Nashville Hot Chicken?  Let Kim tell it:  "My great-great uncle was a very handsome lady’s man who stayed out a bit too late one night. His mistress sought revenge by dousing cayenne pepper all over his fried chicken but he liked it!  My family perfected the process of frying chicken and started the BBQ Hot Chicken Shack in 1936.  In the 1980’s, my Aunt Andre Prince-Jeffries changed the name of the business to Prince's Hot Chicken Shack (in Nashville) where I worked and have the fondest of memories."   Kim studied Public Administration at Fresno State University.  From 1999-2019 she worked for various TV networks : ABC, The WB, Country Music Television, and most recently, NBCUniversal. TV Production and Development afforded her opportunities to travel around the world and work with many A-List celebrities, professional athletes, and high-profile influencers.  After returning to LA from Nashville in 2013, she started a popup called Hotville Chicken (2016). It was in 2018 when long -time restauranteur, Greg Dulan (Dulan's Soul Food/Aunt Kizzy's Back Porch) partnered with Prince to help her actualize her dream of opening a brick ‘n mortar. In December 2019, that dream finally came true with keys to a beautiful restaurant in the Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw district.   Hotville Chicken has been recognized by Los Angeles Magazine’s Best of 2020 (Aug. '20 issue) and Best New Restaurant (Jan. '20 issue).  Hotville Chicken has also been featured in and on: CNN, CBS Radio, I  Radio w/ Ryan Secrest, The NY Times, Infatuation LA, Zagat, The Guardian, Eater LA Most Iconic & Essential Restaurants List (2020/2021/2022), and the LA Times 101 Best Restaurants. Kim has appeared and been featured in: "Well Done w/ Sebastian Maniscalo" on Discovery +  (2021) "Eat the Book" (Hello Sunshine Productions for Reese Witherspoon) 2021 "Dine 'n Bash" w/ Sebastian Joseph-Day (2021) Black History Month Panelist for Kayak Good Eats w/ Evan Kleinman (KCRW) Create & Cultivate Women of the Year (2022) Visa "She's Next" Grant Recipient James Beard Foundation "Open for Good" Mentor Prince is a founding member of Regarding HER Food (Re: HER), a charitable organization for women-owned restaurants in Los Angeles.