Hustle & Soul is a new reality television show that explores the delicious drama and inner-workings of The Pink Tea Cup, a restaurant that specializes in soul food.
The show debuted this past Thursday and has had extremely good feedback so far. A dramatic yet realistic portrayal of restaurant life, Hustle & Soul revolves around Lawrence, the head chef of The Pink Tea Cup. Lawrence’s aim is to gain a Michelin Star, a prize that would validate his prowess as a chef as well as the efficiency of his staff, and probably allow him to raise his prices without much risk.
This Monday I had the privilege of watching an exclusive screening of the second episode of the season, and I was thoroughly impressed. Though reality television can bring along the weight of having to force drama, nothing in the episode felt forced, as the humor and tension felt extremely real. The event took place at The Cutting Room, a venue in Midtown famous for its tasteful musical acts. As everyone settled in, chattering and snacking on popcorn, Lawrence himself took the stage and had a few wise words to say for the audience. He explained the adversity he has experienced in the restaurant business, the hardships of blending family and business, and of course, drama. “We love drama because drama is in our life” says Lawrence, speaking of the natural existence of drama within the show. Episode 2 started off with a punch, as a physical altercation between two characters caused the audience to gasp. Much of the show focused on Lawrence’s sort of “ambassador” role as two women vied for his attention. “The Twins,” two waiters who provided much needed stress relief to the characters brightened up many situations with their laid-back humor. The entrance of Lawrence’s mother became a sort of stabilizing factor, and it seems Lawrence was very grateful for it. In fact, Lawrence learned how to cook from his mother, while his brothers were out playing he was inside of the kitchen, absorbing all of the savory knowledge that he could. It seems just as soul food tastes best with family, drama does, too. Lawrence attributes the drama on the show and in the restaurant to its roots of family gatherings. “I think its that people can relate to it, because you know, we all grew up on southern food, at least a lot of people are very familiar with it. It was southern food we always had at picnics and at thanksgivings and gatherings, and there was always drama” says Lawrence. Family drama is definitely something we can all relate to, but so is sharing food with family. The new reality television show Hustle & Soul explores these themes as it ventures to restaurant greatness while feeding hungry mouths. You can catch the show Thursdays at 10 P.M. on WE TV.
An after party follow with special guest DJ Questlove.
