The Woman Behind the Spice: Ms. Andre Prince and the Legacy of Prince’s Hot Chicken

Nashville is well-known for two very special things: country music and hot chicken. Ms. André Prince, the Matriarch of Prince’s Hot Chicken, met with host James Lewis at Assembly Food Hall to give Southern Character listeners an exclusive look at Prince’s Chicken. This restaurant has had an extensive impact not just on Nashville’s culinary scene, but internationally, with some guests flying in from overseas just to enjoy it. Today’s interview shows us that Ms. André is a living legend whose wit is as sharp as her chicken is hot!

The Spicy Story Behind Prince’s Hot Chicken

Nearly 90 years ago, Ms. Prince’s great-uncle Thornton began selling what would become Nashville’s most iconic dish, possibly born out of a lover’s spicy revenge, and while the exact founding year is up for debate, this story is one of late-night cravings and resilience. First sold out of a home and later at a formal location, the business, then called the Barbeque Chicken Shack, stayed open as late as 4 a.m. to serve the city’s shift workers. Ms. Prince herself didn’t grow up in the restaurant except on certain holidays, but she certainly grew up on it. She remembers waiting to see that very specific brown or white greasy bag of fried chicken left out on certain Saturday nights - if she could beat her siblings or her early bird mother to it - for her breakfast. To this day, her favorite piece remains a soft, flat wing, served mild, just the way it was growing up.

From Courthouse Clerk to Restaurant Owner

In 1980, while persevering through a divorce with two children in tow, Ms. Prince took the reins of the family business, somewhat reluctantly - she did not cook before running the restaurant. Her mother was battling breast cancer and offered careful considerations for her future, suggesting that she could find financial freedom through taking over the business. With her siblings deciding it wasn’t a good fit for them, she juggled her job at the courthouse during the day and started running the restaurant from six to midnight. With help from her father and cousins, she expanded hours to include lunch service and changed the name from the Barbeque Chicken Shack back to Prince’s Hot Chicken, honoring her family name and the original pan-fried hot chicken she’d grown up with.

Updating the Menu

Originally, the chicken only came one way: hot. But Ms. Prince began offering multiple heat levels to accommodate customers—from plain to XXX hot. Ironically, it’s often the women who want it spiciest. She recommends newcomers start with medium. James gave the medium namesake André Sandwich a try and admitted it might be his limit, despite enjoying plenty of spice as a New Orleans native.

Apparently, Prince’s has some special powers, including possibly helping with overdue babies. Ms. Prince shared that doctors sometimes recommend overdue pregnant women eat spicy food to induce labor, and more than a few babies have reportedly arrived within hours of a Prince’s meal. No deliveries have happened in-store, though, much to her relief. The spice level can also help if you’re feeling under the weather.

Prince’s Hot Chicken Goes Global (but Keeps It Local)

From Saudi Arabia to the UK, fans have flown in just to taste her chicken, and she’s been courted multiple times to visit overseas as far away as Dubai. Former Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell is such a fan, specifically of a medium-hot chicken leg, that he proposed legislation naming Prince’s the best restaurant in Tennessee on his last day in office. Despite pleas to move Mayor Purcell’s iconic Hot Chicken Festival off the blazing 4th of July, it remains a wildly popular annual tradition, despite taking place on one of the hottest days of the year. She’s also expanded to Knoxville very close to the University of Tennessee and Greenville, SC within the last four years through a partnership with Yee-Haw Brewing Co.

An Eventual Return to Jefferson Street

Now 79, Ms. Prince is passing the torch to her daughter Simone, who’s stepping in to help continue the legacy. Their dream? To reopen a location on Jefferson Street, just a block from where it all started. Despite setbacks, she keeps pushing forward, bolstered by stories from customers and an enduring love for her community. As she puts it, “No matter what you do, keep moving.”

You can catch Ms. Prince’s story of an enduring legacy and other inspiring examples of Southern Characters with grit and grace at the link above.