They met as students at Johnson and Wales back in the early 2000’s. Greg Williams, a native of Columbia, South Carolina and Jamie Barnes, who hails from  Newport News, Virginia. They both have banged around the Charlotte food scene for a long time doing a little bit of everything. Dishwasher, sous chef, restaurant owner/manager, they both have done it all.

Six years ago, they entered a Food Network food truck competition and needed a concept. That was the start of What the Fries. They didn’t make the competition but the concept stuck. The food truck evolved into brick and mortar. Greg and Jamie have successfully taken their years of culinary skills and talent and merged them with the simplest food, the French Fry. Among their big hits is the Cheeseburger and Fries Quesadilla, which is featured in their CLTTG profile. And the Lobster Mac and Cheese Fries. I can taste it just thinking about it.

Their plan is to open up more locations when the time is right. After all, everybody loves fries, right? I know I do! What The Fries is some next level stuff!

Marc Kieffer loves being a restaurant owner. Over the years he’s owned and operated six. So that college degree he earned in hotel and restaurant management has served him well.  Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Marc has been in Charlotte for 26 years. He and his wife LeAnne, have two children, a son , Rhys, 15 and a daughter, Elloree, 13.

Marc opened Toucan Louie’s about four years ago.  He decided to end his affiliation with the Mellow Mushroom franchise and give it a go on his own. He was looking for a place in town that was located in an area that didn’t have a lot of restaurant options. While working in his other job in commercial real estate, Marc found a dilapidated gas station built in 1955 on Charlotte’s Westside.  It had sat empty for 20 years. They place was a mess. It took 18 months to do the renovations and get it up to code.  Many of his friends and colleagues thought he was nuts.  From the looks of things, Marc is getting the last laugh.

So why the name Toucan Louie’s? Marc says he and his family kicked around dozens of possibilities. His kids wanted to name it Louie’s after the family rescue dog, Louie. Marc then recalled a book he used to read to his daughter called Toucan, Toucan’t , about two Toucan birds and what they could accomplish if they work together. DING! Toucan Louie’s. Everybody in the family agreed. That was a keeper.