“I've been cooking all my life,” said Woody Lacey, owner of Woody's Wings.
Lacey started the business several years ago from her home in New Haven.
“So I started in my backyard and my wife and I continued to grow our clientele. We were fortunate enough to open a brick-and-mortar store in Westville, which we've taken over ever since,” Lacey said. .
Woody's Wings currently operates out of its Church Street location. Lacey is preparing for one of his busiest business days of the year: Super Bowl Sunday.
“One year we had about 7,000 wings. Everyone from all over the world orders our platters,” Lacey said.
There are nearly 40 flavors of wings, but the signature style is the Woody Wing.
“It's buffalo-based, but it's a little bit sweeter and has some spicy flavors,” Lacey said.
NBC Connecticut
In Hartford, RastaRant owner and chef Gigi Lawrence offers a variety of vegan Caribbean dishes for the big crowd.
“We're going to make some vegan wings, and we're going to make some Rasta pasta, which is our famous meal and can be shared by the whole family,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence also started his business by cooking in his home kitchen. She currently works in a commercial kitchen in the Swift Building in Hartford.
“We’re kind of a hidden gem,” Lawrence said.
Both restaurants are featured on shopblackct.com. You can also order through RastaRant on DoorDash and Uber Eats.
Lawrence hopes to open a brick-and-mortar store one day.
“I feel like I'm an advocate for young girls who are starting their own businesses,” Lawrence said.
