Rising Stars: Meet Kemi Bennings of Southside Beltline Trail

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kemi Bennings.

Kemi, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Somewhere between watching my mother in the kitchen, PBS television cooking shows and easy bake
ovens, I unearthed my culinary artist. Years later in 2004, I launched Food For Thought, a unique culinary concept of
Southern-Asian fusion offering gourmet vegan-vegetarian lunch, which led to my becoming personal chef to Tyler Perry, Ceicly Tyson, Kimberly Elise, and Jenifer Lewis to name a few.

In 2015, I happened to be in Puerto Rico, hungry and on the search for some food that I could eat. I stumbled on a local plant-based restaurant, bonded with the chef and she then invited me into her kitchen. She shared with me that she was working on something and wanted me to try it. That was my first Carrot Dog. By now, I had been plant-based for about 18 years. I had tried whatever plant-based hot dogs that were out on the market, but nothing really impressed me. .And, though that carrot dog was a bit different from my southern palate, the taste had the striking resemblance to a hot dog. What happened next was quite prophetic … Once I shared with her the fact that I grew up loving hot dogs, she looked me in the eye and pointed at me, petitioned me and said: “you go do it in Atlanta.” I developed my recipe, took it to my test kitchen in the Spring of 2016 and Carrot Dog was born in 2019.

Oh, yeah…for those new to us, Carrot Dog is a plant-based twist on the American classic hot dog. Yes—you read that right! It’s literally a whole organic carrot that we marinate in 16 signature spices, grill to perfection, and serve it up so it tastes (and has the texture) just like a hot dog. We inspire healthier communities and an overall culture of health though awareness, powerful conversations, and fun, creative plant-based food.

Our menu consists of 13 unique & mouthwatering variations of our signature Carrot Dog, our signature Ginger Lemonade w. Tumeric, our homemade carrot tart dessert, a lighter version of Grandma’s sweet potato pie and Sea salt chips for the perfect crunch.

Our Carrot Dog Journey Timeline:

2019 – The Beginning
Carrot Dog began launched at Global Grub Collective in East Atlanta on May 18th, a vibrant community food hall, where we spent 6 months bringing our plant-based “hot dog” concept to life.

2019–2022 – We transitioned to The MET (formally Metropolitan Lofts) in West End Atlanta in November 2019 at the invitation of our friends Ken & Jeanette Katz of La Bodega. During our time there the Pandemic occurred, forcing us to be creative, grow roots and put into practice the pivot process that is necessary at times during business. We had an amazing 3-year residency there before setting out to find our next home, popping up at events around town along the way.

2022 – Beltline Pop-Up at AfterCar
In October of 2022 with help from another great friend, Rose Scott at NPR, we secured a space at AfterCar, a one-of-a-kind space on the Eastside Beltline, owned by Ryan Gravel, the visionary and impetus behind the Atlanta Beltline. We thrived there for 8 months before the space was sold to a larger developer.

Mid-2023 – A Disappointing Opportunity
We were offered a shared space and set to open in November of 2023, yet just as we were preparing to move in, the opportunity was unexpectedly retracted, which we found out via Facebook. Ironically, a few months before, one of our mentors sent me the application to be a part of The Beltline Marketplace and urged us to apply. We did.

2024 – A Fresh Start at Pittsburgh Yards
We received notification on April 18th, 2024 that we were selected to be a part of the Atlanta Beltline Marketplace—a small business incubator giving local businesses like ours a place to grow and thrive. And, we were assigned to Pittsburgh Yards on the Southside Beltline Trail, the same place where we’d envisioned the flagship location of Carrot Dog. We are we’re almost there. Consider being a part of giving us boost to cross the finish line by donating to our GoFundMe. Link: https://gofund.me/2f534e75f

Since our launch in 2019, our unique take on a beloved classic has caught the attention of many—
we’ve been featured in Atlanta Magazine, Creative Loafing, NPR, Good Day Atlanta, and most recently, The Portia Show.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to expanding to a commercial space has been quite a blessing, yet anything but straight and smooth. Like many small businesses, it’s been a topsy-turvy ride of ebbs, flows, twists, turns and struggles along the Carrot Dog journey. Everything from having to shut down abruptly and navigate reclaiming our equipment to having agreements that were breeched and retracted at the 11th hour. We also launched approximately 6 months before the Pandemic occurred, forcing us to find new ways to stay open and engage with our customers simultaneously while being new in business. Luckily, we have always found ourselves surrounded by great people, mentors and in community. The various business incubators and cohorts of which we had been a part of, our customers, as well as my personal network have always been a source of motivation, inspiration and support. We’ve also learned a lot in the process. Certainly, having limited funds or access to funds have presented us great challenges as a small business, especially now that we have attracted an opportunity to expand to the next level of our vision by being a part of The Beltline Marketplace at The Container Courtyard at Pittsburgh Yards.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
It’s kinda where Lois Lane meets Super Woman…Renaissance Woman + Creative Badass…An Artist of Many Dimensions

In addition to the culinary artist and chef, I am an interdisciplinary artist, cultural producer, curator and arts activist whose work is informed by the symbiotic relationship between artist and art form, spirituality and life experiences, musician and instrument, social activism and the human condition.

With over 20 years of experience, I specialize in theatre, art exhibitions, curatorial projects, cultural programs, new-age conscious poetry, as well as my unique approach to creating programming and experiences that bridge communities and inspires social change through art, culture and music. My personal mission is to “inspire a generation of artistic change.”
My creative works and projects are influenced by my passion to move, touch and inspire others; to educate/create awareness and possibility; to create unique platforms for independent artists/musicians; to bring conceptualizations and visions to life. I have been curating and producing arts programming in Atlanta since the early 90’s. I am founder of Evolve Artists Live, an event promotion and live music theatrical production company that has a commitment to build community and cultivate independent art and music scenes around the globe.

A fusion of poet and soul singer, my literary work combines thought-provoking new age conscious poetry that both challenges and inspires the audience, evoking change. I have had the honor to share of sharing the stage with great poets, actors and singers such as Sonia Sanchez, Oscar Brown, Jr., Jenifer Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Loretta Divine, and The Last Poets, to name a few.

I have worked and collaborated with several arts and civic organizations to include Emory University, Elevate Atlanta, National Black Arts Festival, Fulton County Arts & Culture, Flux Projects and Spelman College Museum. My most recent work includes a contributing curatorial segment for You Don’t Got Dis!?!! Earwax 50 Years of Hip Hop, 20-Year Anniversary of A Day in the Life of A Great Day in Atlanta Exhibit & Installation, ongoing production/programming for Charmaine Minniefield’s Praise House Project, Soul Sista’s Juke Joint, Música Soul: Cultural Exchange & Residency, Playa Del Carmen & Tulum, Nourish: Wellness Activation -Tambor Egypt executive producing and co-directing Family Dynamics: An American Family’s Journey through Dementia and executive producer of documentary film Spring & 3rd: The Story of the Yin Yang Café.

By day, I practice as a nurse, health educator and certified lifestyle coach, focusing on holistic health, transformational wellness and how our A.R.T (actions, relationships and thoughts) has a profound effect on how we experience life. I am a native of Augusta, Georgia.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice for someone who is starting out is to believe in your vision, product or idea, flush it out and stay the course. Also, align and attract those that can mentor and support you as well as connect with other small businesses so that you can get feedback and bounce off your ideas.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.carrotdogatl.com
• Instagram: @carrotdogatl
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Carrot-Dog-ATL/100066542933201
• Twitter: @carrotdogatl
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@foodforthoughtcafe5347