Section: Wellington Market
Category: Restaurants , Wellington Market
Chen Chen’s Nashville Hot Chicken brings southern comfort food to the heart of Toronto with bold Nashville heat and a subtle Asian twist. Founded by Chen. Born in China, raised in Nashville, and trained in Toronto; the brand fuses diverse cultures and flavours. Each dish is chef-driven and made from scratch with love. Their signature hot chicken is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and served alongside classic Southern staples. Now open at The Well’s Wellington Market, Chen Chen’s is more than just fried chicken. It’s a celebration of heritage, soul, and spice.
Born in China and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Chen was immersed in food from a young age at his family’s Chinese restaurant. He got his first taste of running a kitchen at Bonnaroo, serving Vietnamese bánh mì to massive festival crowds. Afterward, he traveled the world playing poker professionally and exploring global cuisines — experiences that shaped his culinary perspective. In Toronto, he refined his skills at George Brown College before launching Chen Chen’s Nashville Hot Chicken in 2019 — a fiery blend of his Southern roots, Asian heritage, and global inspiration. In 2024, his restaurant was named Yelp’s #1 Place to Eat in Canada, marking a major milestone in a journey that started in the back of his family’s kitchen
416-203-7777
connect@thewelltoronto.com
