Credit: Submitted Photo

Credit: Submitted Photo

While taking a break and hoping for a new opportunity earlier this year, Woods was working as a custodian at Dayton Christian. He recalled a Facebook post he made on Dec. 29, 2023 asking his friends to “please send good vibes my way for Chazzy’s Kitchen in 2024.” He said the owner of Club Evolution had commented that he had an empty kitchen and the rest is history.

In March, Chazzy’s Kitchen reopened inside Club Evolution.

“I’m so thankful that after two and a half years people remember my food,” Woods said.

Customers can expect longtime favorites like bone-in and boneless wings with a sweet chili sauce, The Kitchen’s Philly, KD Pizza Bites, Chazzy’s Chicken and Vanilla French Toast and Buffie’s BBQ Beans. Chazzy’s Kitchen offers southern-style home cooking with several menu items reflecting Woods’ journey to having his own restaurant.

Credit: Natalie Jones

Credit: Natalie Jones

From singing in church to working for Miss America, the Dayton native has been a performer all of his life. Before he opened Chazzy’s Kitchen in Moraine, Woods said he was working hard to make ends meet after being on drugs for eight years.

“I went from being a star and being with Miss America to nothing,” Woods said.

He had worked at the IHop restaurant location in Beavercreek before transferring to the Huber Heights location. When the restaurant closed in early 2019, he recalled taking his last check and two rolls of quarters to K&R Supermarket to see if he could rent out the kitchen space in the marketplace to open his own restaurant.

Luis Zavala, the manager at Chazzy’s Kitchen, started working for Woods after the pandemic. He described the Moraine location as a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that people loved.

Woods has been working in the restaurant industry for decades and some of the customers he serves today have followed him throughout his 30-year career of serving the Dayton region.

“Whether it comes to the regular customers that come in and support us to the new ones, it’s something about his personality and food that they gravitate towards,” Zavala said. “He has something special about him. He can light up the whole block.”

Woods said his three sons are his inspiration. Despite working long hours, “I just keep going because it’s my love to make people happy,” Woods said.

MORE DETIALS

Club Evolution is located at 130 N. Patterson Blvd. Chazzy’s Kitchen is open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday for DoorDash and pick-up only. Pick-up is available through the back door of the building. Customers can dine-in from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Friday and 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Reporter Natalie Jones stopped by the restaurant last week. Her favorite dish was Chazzy’s Chicken and Vanilla French Toast. She said it was the perfect combination of sweet and salty. Jones recommends getting a side of the restaurant’s house sweet chili sauce to go with the French toast.

For more information, visit Chazzy’s Kitchen’s Facebook page (@chazzyskitchen). To place an order online, visit gotab.io/loc/chazzyskitchen.