In Chester, a group of Black chefs has built more than a restaurant, writes Jason Sheehan for Philadelphia Magazine.
They’ve built a movement. Everybody Eats, founded in 2020 by chefs Stephanie Willis, Malik Ali, Kurt Evans, Aziza Young, and Gregory Headen, began during a summer of upheaval with one clear mission: feed people.
Early pop-ups and catering gigs led to Vittles Food Hall in Delaware County, a hub that provided both affordable comfort food and a home for job training, mentorship, and partnerships with organizations like Philabundance and Sharing Excess.
The latest step? The Everybody Eats Café, now open at 16 West 5th Street in downtown Chester. The café blends community mission with sustainability: $7 breakfast sandwiches and $15 cheesesteaks sit alongside farm-fresh platters made with local eggs from Black-owned Smith Poultry.
Proceeds fuel free meal programs and cooking classes with Making a Change Group, while also supporting collaborations with Chester Eastside and other food-security partners.
With overflow seating, karaoke, and movie nights recently added, the café has become more than a dining spot — it’s a gathering space. For Willis, Ali, and their team, every cheesesteak sold helps fund the next 100 meals given away.
Because in Chester, Everybody Eats means exactly that.
Read more about Everybody Eats in Philadelphia Magazine.
