Pinky Cole, the visionary, founder and CEO behind beloved burger joint Slutty Vegan, announced the restaurant will throw its first-ever wedding at the Edgewood location (476 Edgewood Ave SE) on Monday, February 13 at 11am. After putting out a call on social media that was flooded with hundreds of responses from couples wanting to “sluttify” their big day, the nationally-acclaimed restaurant chose one special pair to be joined in holy matrimony officiated by the vegan queen herself, Pinky Cole. Self-proclaimed Slutty Vegan superfans, Joyce Glaize and James Boozer, are set to tie the knot in style, after recently reconnecting 40 years after they first met at work.
A true champion for self-starters and small businesses, the brand has hand-selected an impressive list of local businesses for the couple’s big day. Headlining vendors set to lend their talents include Events by Mesita, Clea Murray Designer, Nine Designs, A Mane Event, Special Day Entertainment, DJ Ace Star, Designer Bee Events, Rich Off Diamonds, Sam & Izzy’s Sweets, Fortune Luxury Concierge, Carrie’s Bridal Collection, Unique Threads, Events by Jes and Salt & Pepper Productions. Hair and makeup will be by Janie James and Candace Rhymes, and talent will be provided by saxophonist Trey Daniels and JaTavia Akiaa, who won Slutty Vegan’s wedding singer competition on social media. The celebration will feature a slew of non-traditional yet on-brand elements including a flower girl tossing fries down the aisle and a photoshoot of the couple next to the Slutty Vegan food truck.
It’s only fitting that Pinky herself will officiate the ceremony. Just as her business has flourished over the years, so has her personal love story; the vegan visionary is engaged to fellow Atlanta restaurant superstar and Founder of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, Derrick Hayes, and the couple will wed this year. Together, the duo has taken the world by storm with business collaborations and philanthropic pursuits.
“Slutty Vegan knows how to party, and we’re going to do just that!” says Pinky Cole. “It’s beautiful to see the community join us in making this day magical for our bride and groom.”
Since the brand’s genesis in 2018, Cole has built a game-changing empire that’s dedicated to reinventing vegan food culture, where vegans and meat-eaters alike can break free from kale and quinoa salads. Slutty Vegan’s crave-worthy, indulgent menus and joyful customer interactions draw locals and visitors to eagerly wait in now-famous lines down the block for vegan burgers, sandwiches and more. Sluttified fans include celebrities Snoop Dogg, Jermaine Dupri, Taraji P. Henson, Tyler Perry, Queen Latifah and many more. Slutty Vegan has seven existing brick-and-mortar locations, including Atlanta stores in the Edgewood, Jonesboro, Duluth and West View neighborhoods and outposts in Athens, Georgia, Birmingham, AL and Brooklyn, New York.
Last year, the famed entrepreneur expanded her flavorful footprint beyond the restaurant realm with the debut of her one-of-a-kind cookbook, Eat Plants, B*tch, bringing all the slutty tips and tricks to kitchens nationwide. The collection of 91 vegan recipes for undeniably delicious meals has recently earned top recognition with a NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Instructional Literary Work.
Also last year, the booming brand celebrated a $25M Series A fundraising round that resulted in Slutty Vegan’s impressive $100M valuation that was dually backed by Enlightened Hospitality Investments (co-founded by Danny Meyer of Union Square Hospitality Group) and New Voices Fund (led by billionaire entrepreneur & ESSENCE Ventures CEO Richelieu Dennis).