In Texas, the biggest state in the continental U.S., one restaurant is truly for the culture has made a name for itself around the globe. In an exclusive interview with Urban Magazine, Nakia Price, the co-owner of the world famous Houston based Turkey Leg Hut shares the secret of its success, how she balances parenting and business, and winning a male-dominated industry.
We know that in 2016, you first introduced the Turkey Leg Hut, in the parking lot of Houston Rodeo. Did you expect it to become such a huge phenomenon?
At the point in time, no… I had just had my baby, my third child. She was not even a month old, and we had the opportunity to park people outside the rodeo then shuttle them in. That was the thing that we were capitalizing on. At that point in time, we decided to put a barbecue pit on the field which allowed people to grab something to while they were waiting. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that it would become the brand you know today as Turkey Leg Hut. Never in a million years, did I think it would be as big as it grown to be. The moment I realized that we had a great product was when people started to follow us from that field to wherever we were. That’s when I realized we were on to something.
How was the process of turning your hobby and love of cooking into one of the sought-after restaurants in Houston?
Everything with us has always been the process of trial and error. It initially started with me stuffing the turkey legs with different seasoning and spices for the original recipe. Later, I explored, if I added other ingredients, how would it change the flavor. It was all trial and error, seeing what worked best for us. When we find the things that work well, we focused on being able to reproduce it in a manner that remains consistent.
Everyone says that The Turkey Leg Hut is for the culture. You have had huge celebrities like Kevin Hart, Mike Tyson, Rick Ross, Dave Chappelle, Lil Baby, James Harden, 2 Chainz, and more. How does it make you feel so many celebrities patronize your restaurant?
That’s a lot of famous people when you think about it (laughing). It’s a great feeling, not to just have a lot of celebrities patronize our restaurants, but to have swarms of people from all over the world make it a destination spot. The celebrity support is great, it’s amazing… But we also have patrons who come from as far away as Kenya, Sweden, and Germany, yet we still remain a favorite with the people here in Houston who have supported us from day one. Just to have our brand mentioned in places around the globe… It is an honor. To have people know who you are and want to eat something you have created is a blessing.
Beside turkey legs, are there any other types of cuisine on the menu that are just as popular?
Aside from the turkey legs, I think our most popular dish on the menu is our Cajun bowl. It is actually a rendition of our turkey leg, but of course, it’s in a bowl. You can have turkey, salmon, and fried or grilled chicken. My favorite is the pasta yaya. So many people sleep on it. Our swamp potato is the first entrée that came right after the turkey leg. It has shrimp, chicken, mushrooms, spinach, and cheese. You can’t go wrong with anything that is on the menu.
What does it mean to you to the line still wraps around the corner?
I still pull up to restaurant and when I see the line wrapped around the corner… My husband laughs at me because I will start crying. The reason I start crying is because it is still a surreal moment. To see all of those people waiting in line to taste something we have created, it is a blessing and it’s kind of mind-blowing.
If anyone knows anything about Houston, they know it’s hot. It’s hot as heck out here (laughing). The line has become of part of the attraction of Turkey Leg Hut. It is as much of a part of the experience as the vibe we have created inside with the food, décor, the hookahs, and the drinks. The vibe outside in the line has actually become a ‘thing’. Patrons don’t mind standing in line because they meet different people from different places which creates a vibe of its own. It is a beautiful thing to see, after all these years especially through the COVID-19 pandemic, the people still love and support us.
As a business owner, how do you plan to evolve further into the restaurant industry? And, do you plan to explore other industries?
One thing that I love about us is that we are constantly evolving. We never get complacent. We always have the ability to change to keep up with the times. We always strive to continue being innovative with our menu. The only reason we haven’t branched out and opened other locations is because we are really big on consistency and keeping the product the same. If you branch out too fast, it can affect the quality of your product. Everything we do is very strategic as far as how and when we approach a business opportunity or initiative. It has to feel right for us to say that we are ready.
In addition to the food trucks, we have bought up the block. If you ever visit Turkey Leg Hut, we own everything around us. We are venturing off into other industries. I can’t say exactly what we have in the works as far as the next project, but it is something that everyone will use at some point in time.
Giving back to various communities is obviously very important to you. What are your future charitable plans?
We have a nonprofit organization called the Price Legacy Foundation. What we do is give back to those who are in need, basically any and everyone. A lot of what we do, we don’t talk about. We don’t publicize it; we just do it. Anyone who comes to us and there’s a need, whatever it may be, we are there. Some things are planned, but most of our charitable outreach focuses on meeting the needs of people as they arise. It is often spontaneous. We can get a phone call about a situation while we are watching television. I will look at my husband, he will look at me, and we will both say, ‘We have to do something about this.’
To what do you attribute the rapid success of The Turkey Leg Hut?
I don’t think there was really one thing that happened for us. I think it was a lot of things that happened in succession. My husband came home from federal prison, Snoop Dogg posting about the restaurant on his social media, there was a blurb in GQ Magazine… I think it was all those things combined in addition to what Turkey Leg Hut was before. Those things and our being consistent are what I would attribute to our success.
How do you balance motherhood and being the owner of multiple businesses?
Whew child, my six-year-old is sitting with me right now. I got up at 7 o’clock in the morning to get my hair done… We are at the nail shop. I have to get home. We have a flight to catch at 8 o’clock tonight. I have to pack. It’s just balance. I don’t know how I do it. I just do it. When you’re a mom, it’s just in your nature. When you’re a mom, you want to spend time with your kids even if you’re running a multi-million-dollar business. It does take some time away from thing, but I am blessed that we have a great support system. My parents are a very big part in why I am able to move the way I need to move because I feel secure with the way the care for my kids. I never have to worry about them.
When it comes to women in the restaurant industry, which is a predominantly white male space, how do you handle navigating?
The restaurant industry is a male dominated field. Do they continue to try you if you’re a woman? Yes. I think that my husband is a buffer. I may not get as much of the nonsense as a woman who doesn’t have a partner to support her. Even still, it can be hard for some people to understand that a woman can create this kind of success and give her credit for it. Sometimes, people will come into restaurant and refer to me as the owner’s wife and I have to correct them, “Wait a minute now! When did I become just the owner’s wife? Last time I checked, I’m the owner as well (laughing).” That’s the respect that I have had to fight for because I have definitely earned it. Nothing was ever given to us. To have to fight for it is unfair, but I’m a fighter. I will do what’s necessary.
Words by Be’n Original w/ Photo by Sway Ambrose
