Chicago Chef Quentin Love Is Doing It Again: Feeding the Community, One Meal at a Time
On Chicago’s West Side, where grocery stores are scarce and food insecurity can run deep, Marine veteran and restaurateur Quentin Love is taking action. Through a grassroots GoFundMe campaign, he’s calling on the community to help raise $11,000 to sustain and expand his free meal programs, which have already fed tens of thousands from his kitchens.
Love’s latest campaign—titled “EBT SNAP CRISIS! Help End Food Insecurity in Our Community”—aims to bolster a new initiative at his recently opened restaurant, The Soulfood Lounge, located at 3804 W. 16th St. Every Tuesday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., the restaurant will provide free meals to anyone in need, reinforcing Love’s long-standing mission to serve the underserved.
This new effort builds on the foundation laid at his original restaurant, Turkey Chop Gourmet Grill, where every Monday the kitchen shut its doors to paying customers to serve free, hot meals in West Humboldt Park. Over the years, Turkey Chop has distributed more than 60,000 meals, funded largely through Love’s own resources and public donations.
“Food is a powerful tool,” Love has said in past interviews. “If I’m full, my belly is full and I feel good, I have less propensity to do something crazy.”
Love, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in Operation Desert Storm, has always connected his military discipline with a deep sense of community duty. Raised on Chicago’s South and West sides, he credits his grandmother with instilling the values that continue to drive his service-centered entrepreneurship.
In 2016, Love famously donated his $36,000 prize from Food Network’s “Guy’s Grocery Games” to his meal program. In 2019, he gave away 1,000 turkeys just before Thanksgiving. His commitment is consistent and unwavering—even as the need grows.
My admiration for Quentin Love began when we first worked together on promotional campaigns for his earlier ventures—Quench’s, Black Wok, and Fajitas. Even then, it was clear he wasn’t just opening restaurants—he was building institutions rooted in love, pride, and purpose. Watching him evolve from restaurateur to community champion has been both inspiring and humbling.
With rising food costs, changes to SNAP benefits, and persistent economic disparities, Love’s latest GoFundMe effort supports not just meals, but the infrastructure needed to serve them—ingredients, equipment, volunteers, and space.
“Take back control of our own community,” his campaign declares—a mantra that reflects his unwavering belief in self-determination and collective uplift.
The Soulfood Lounge’s Tuesday meal service is open to all, and volunteers are welcome. Donations can be made via GoFundMe, or by scanning the QR code on promotional flyers circulating throughout the city.
