In a finale with a shocker ending, Detroit's Jamawn (Jay) Woods' Soul Daddy restaurant concept beat out two other competitors Sunday night to win NBC's "America's Next Great Restaurant" reality series, and he became the owner of three working eateries that will open today in New York, Minneapolis and Hollywood.
Woods, 34, has been working the second shift, driving a forklift at Chrysler's Sterling Heights assembly plant and running a part-time catering business from his home, making chicken wings and waffles for friends.
The surprising twist revealed Sunday night was that the series was taped 10 months ago, although the finalists didn't know who had won until last weekend.
Meanwhile, three full-scale editions of Woods' new healthier soul foods restaurant concept have been completed and are ready to open.
As the two-month TV series evolved, Woods changed his theme from chicken wings and waffles to a more complete menu of healthier soul-food dishes. The more refined concept is now called Soul Daddy, with "New Home Cooking" as its tagline.
"It was all taped last summer," Woods said in a telephone interview from Hollywood, where he was meeting with his staff Sunday night in preparation for today's opening at 11 a.m.
"I flew out to L.A. last weekend and found out I won," he said.
But for the 10 months since the taping, he hadn't been able to tell anyone that he was a finalist with a one-in-three chance of winning the big prize.
"It was so hard not to tell anyone," he said.
Jamawn (Jay) Woods changed his theme from chicken wings and waffles to a more complete menu of healthier soul-food dishes.
Judges for the show were Food Network celebrity chef Bobby Flay, Chipotle Mexican Grill founder Steve Ells, Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone and Miami restaurateur Lorena Garcia. They are also personal investors in the restaurant chain.
Woods became a contestant almost by luck. He had been running his catering business on the side and giving away food at a bar to drum up more customers. A scout for the show happened to see photos on his Facebook page and invited him to an interview.
"I never thought it would get this far," he said Friday in Southfield, giving no hint that he had already won.
The other two concepts were a modern Indian fast-casual restaurant called Spice Coast and a meatball-and-sauce concept called Brooklyn Meatball Co.
"I'm excited," he said Sunday night. " I can't wait to introduce the world to a healthier side of soul food. We'll see how it goes."
Judges for the show were Food Network celebrity chef Bobby Flay, Chipotle Mexican Grill founder Steve Ells, Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone and Miami restaurateur Lorena Garcia. They are also personal investors in the restaurant chain.
Woods became a contestant almost by luck. He had been running his catering business on the side and giving away food at a bar to drum up more customers. A scout for the show happened to see photos on his Facebook page and invited him to an interview.
"I never thought it would get this far," he said Friday in Southfield, giving no hint that he had already won.
The other two concepts were a modern Indian fast-casual restaurant called Spice Coast and a meatball-and-sauce concept called Brooklyn Meatball Co.
"I'm excited," he said Sunday night. " I can't wait to introduce the world to a healthier side of soul food. We'll see how it goes."
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