Big Menu Energy: How Jerry J. Bobb Built a Culinary Empire

The entrepreneurial journey requires vision, resilience, and sometimes the courage to break every rule in the book. Jerry J Bobb embodies this spirit with his thriving Louisiana restaurant, Soup Potatoes More, where conventional wisdom goes out the window in favor of what he calls "Big Menu Energy."

What happens when a business-minded culinary artist decides to offer not just a few signature dishes, but hundreds of options spanning an entire restaurant wall? Magic, apparently. Jerry walks us through his eleven-year journey building a food empire based on customer connection rather than traditional restaurant formulas. "If I was a passionate chef first, I would probably be more inclined to feed people what I thought was good for them," Jerry explains. Instead, his business-first approach focuses on creating what customers actually want - resulting in a menu featuring over 100 stuffed potato variations alongside countless burgers, wraps, and salads.

Most remarkable is how Jerry navigated the pandemic, a period that devastated the restaurant industry. Rather than retreating, his business actually grew during this challenging time, eventually catching the attention of major publications like Forbes. The secret? An unwavering commitment to personal connection. Despite his success, Jerry still works the register, speaks directly with customers, and incorporates their ideas into new creations. "I still want to have a connection," he shares, explaining his conscious decision to reject corporate distance despite opportunities for rapid expansion.

For aspiring entrepreneurs, Jerry offers wisdom that transcends the culinary world: sometimes growth means evolving what you already have rather than just expanding outward. As an African American business owner, he understands the importance of visibility: "Just being visible lets people know that it's possible." His parting wisdom? "I'm not wrong, I'm just a visionary." Ready to break some rules in your own business journey? Jerry J Bobb shows exactly how rewarding that path can be.