Pinky Cole is a beast in so many ways. All around a megatron, a peak performer who doesn't let a single thing get in her way. I consider her a marketing genius that happens to sell food. She (and the food) are just that good at what they do. With a customer line that is always wrapped around the building, to literally feeding the city for free (in partnership with various celebrities), to opening new locations throughout the country, it was inevitable that partnerships with fellow major players would follow.
And that's exactly what happened.
Earlier this year, Shake Shack announced a series of localized chef collaborations in multiple cities. The partnerships were part of a project called "Now Serving", which allows prominent chefs to put their own flair on Shake Shack's menu items and serve it to their community for one or two days only. But the best part is a portion of the proceeds benefit a local charity of the chef's choosing.
In March, the James Beard-winning chef Chris Shepherd got the party started by selling his Southern Smoke Chicken sandwich to Houstonians to raise money for hospitality workers in the area.
Now, our sis Pinky gets her moment in the spotlight to spread a meat-free agenda in not one, but two American cities.
Pinky may be best known for Slutty Vegan, but before that, though, she was a New Yorker, serving Jamaican food at her successful Harlem restaurant, Pinky's. And because she has played such a major role in the Atlanta and Harlem food scenes, Shake Shack will be offering her limited-time "SluttyShack" burger to both communities this week (April 8 and 9 only).
So add this to the list of partnerships and business endeavors that she seemingly collects, from doing a packed-out Slutty Vegan tour, to Steve Madden, and to even our very own, Will Packer. She reminisced on her journey via Instagram:
"I remember in 2019 when I had to go to court about my first location because people in the community didn't want Slutty Vegan there. Today, I bought the daycare in the same neighborhood I was once getting pushed out of. NOW THATS HOW YOU BUY THE BLOCK. Black broker. Black bank. Building previously owned by a black woman! Thinking about making this one a community center #Pinkythecloser"
The SluttyShack will be available for a limited time at Shake Shack locations in New York City and Atlanta. Customers can purchase the SluttyShack on Thursday, April 8, at the Old Fourth Ward Shack in Atlanta. The burger will also be available on Thursday, April 8 and Friday, April 9, at the Shack in Harlem.
Proceeds will be donated directly to Giving Kitchen in Atlanta, a crisis relief organization for people in the food and beverage industry, and ROAR in New York, a community of hospitality leaders advocating for the NYC restaurant industry.
Congrats, Pinky! You always kill it, girl!
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Featured image by Pinky Cole/Instagram