Lead Server

Chef-Owner Fernay McPherson grew up steeped in soul. Using traditional family recipes, Minnie Bell’s menu offers up delicious home-style food, combining soulful flavors and warmth of the south. Fernay was inspired to cook watching her great aunt Minnie and late grandmother Lillie Bell in the kitchen as a child. Fernay's family arrived in San Francisco during the Great Migration as part of the relocation of more than 6 million African Americans from the rural South to cities in the North and West. They left in search of better lives and their culinary spirit traveled right along with them.

Following a successful business launch at the Emeryville Public Market, this location presents the opportunity for Fernay to expand, to build a brick-and-mortar home for Minnie Bell's in the neighborhood that raised her, San Francisco’s Fillmore district. Built on a stellar reputation, bolstered by delicious offerings and community spirit, this fried chicken joint is a celebration of soul food's cultural roots, San Francisco's historic jazz district and the success of black women entrepreneurs to inspire within their neighborhoods and beyond.

Minnie Bell's Fillmore street location is the realization of Chef Fernay McPherson's lifelong dream to bring her culinary talents to her beloved Fillmore district. A third-generation Fillmore resident, Chef Fernay's roots in the community run deep, making her uniquely attuned to the neighborhood's culture and culinary desires. With a passion for preserving tradition and a commitment to providing a unique dining experience, Chef Fernay seized a remarkable opportunity offered by the Fillmore Center, her landlord, and the City of SF to establish Minnie Bell's in a thriving location.