Television Executive Opens Soul Food Café in Orange Arts District.

On Friday, January 27th at 2pm, Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Jr. cut the ribbon and officially opened the Southern Comfort Café at 501 Central Avenue. He was joined by the owners of the café, officials from HANDS, officials from the City of Orange, and community guests.

The new eatery is the brainchild of husband and wife entrepreneurs, Rochelle Brown and Marcus Johnson. Rochelle Brown is Executive Producer for two shows on the Cooking Channel and was an early employee of the Food Network. She has worked with every major celebrity chef.

Southern Comfort Cafe will offer table service, take-out, and catering. Every Sunday, the Café will offer a Soul Food Buffet.  It offers an in-house bakery producing traditional southern desserts. Southern Comfort will offer live entertainment two nights a week, and display the work of local artists.

Statement by Mayor Hawkins

“The opening of the Southern Comfort Café is another milestone in the transformation and redevelopment of our city and the growth of our Arts District. It is no accident that the two entrepreneurs chose Orange as the location for their venture. The cafe will be a magnet for Orange residents and from people throughout the New York metropolitan area to discover a city that combines urban chic with suburban charm. I want to thank Rochelle Brown, Marcus Johnson and HANDS for bringing this culinary adventure to Orange.”

Statement by Rochelle Brown and Marcus Johnson

“We have created a place where our peers can come out for good food, served up fresh. We wanted to create something that would remind us of our grandparents cooking back in the day, a time when ordinary people cooked extraordinary food and people gathered to share great experiences and make memories that last a lifetime.”