Operations

Chef Ashley Christensen launches fast casual chicken chain

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November 8, 2021

Chef Ashley Christensen, who has gained national attention as the chef of Raleigh North Carolina's Poole's Diner, has opened her own fast casual concept, BB's Crispy Chicken.

The chef partnered with MDO Holdings to develop the first location, which debuted Oct. 30 in Raleigh's Midtown East Shopping Center. It sold over 1,400 sandwiches over the weekend and closed early on Sunday to restock sandwiches, milkshakes and cheese curds. The restaurant reopened this week and has sold more than 700 sandwiches per day.

"From the start, we have wanted to highlight the overall greatness of the chicken sandwich. I also knew we wanted to share this with the world, so it brought a completely different level of focus for me and necessity for sensational flavor profiles throughout the menu," Christensen said in a company press release. "I was so focused on getting this right that I moved a frying set-up to my front porch so that every time I had an idea, I could simply go fire it up and try another iteration. We probably tried over 2,000 chicken sandwiches before landing on this final recipe. I really believe what we are about to unveil is greatness."

The menu features five sandwiches and four hot sandwiches spiced by house-made sauces that each feature a different Tabasco sauce. All sandwiches come on locally sourced brioche buns and may include any of the 13 sauces. The sides include sweet potato waffle fries, sea-salt brined French fries and North Carolina's Ashe County cheese curds . The Crunchy Dunkers, bigger than your traditional nugget, also utilize the gluten-free panko breading. Grilled chicken options are also available for all sandwiches and dunkers.

"Throughout the process our focus has been getting this right at every level – from the chicken sandwich, the sides, all the way to the back-end technology and seamless ordering process across all possible platforms," MDO Holdings CEO Michael Olander Jr. said in the release. "We've put a team together that matches our lofty vision, and we are thrilled to unveil this concept to the Triangle."

Christensen and MDO Holdings have two locations under construction, one in Durham's University Hill and one in West Cary's Parkside Town Commons.