So Halal & CloudKitchens
Miniimah Muhammad wasn’t looking for a shortcut—she was looking for a way forward. With decades of culinary experience and a vision to celebrate culture through food, she set out to launch So Halal. But between navigating red tape, finding the right space, and sourcing equipment, the barriers stacked up fast. Partnering with CloudKitchens turned out to be the unlock: a flexible model that let her focus on her craft, grow multiple brands from one kitchen, and build a business her family could grow alongside—one soulful plate at a time.
Real Culture. Real Flavor. Seamlessly Delivered.
So Halal was founded by New Jersey chef Miniimah Muhammad, whose 20+ years of experience and a memorable visit to Sylvia's in Harlem inspired her to create a concept that honors diverse food cultures with authenticity and quality.
“I created the So Halal concept to celebrate the flavors of different cultures—I’ve always loved exploring diverse cuisines,” explains Miniimah. “Where I’m from, you can head into the city and experience a little bit of everything.”
The Challenge
As a passionate chef with entrepreneurial ambitions, Miniimah faced the common hurdles of restaurant ownership, like a confusing patchwork of regulations and realizing the fact that others’ experiences don’t always fit as advice for hers.
- Financial Barriers: High startup costs for traditional restaurant spaces kept her dream of evolving from a food cart to a brick-and-mortar out of reach.
- Creative Constraints: The need for flexible kitchen space to experiment with diverse menu offerings
- Lack of Support: In need of a nurturing business environment that could help her concept thrive
“Everybody had their touch on what they went through and their experience, which won't necessarily be your experience, and I had to figure that out. Investment was another big challenge, because you don’t really know what you’ll spend until you’re in it—especially if you’ve never purchased restaurant equipment before,” said Miniimah.
The Solution
After discovering her on Instagram, CloudKitchens reached out with the perfect solution to help Miniimah launch and grow So Halal.
"I was contacted on Instagram, and they said, 'Hey, we love your food—it looks amazing... We have this CloudKitchens space.' I had never heard of the concept, so I decided to do some research. I tried a couple hubs before settling on the Decatur location, which turned out to be the best fit for where I live and what I needed," Miniimah recalls.
What impressed her upon joining CloudKitchens:
- Supportive Environment: A welcoming atmosphere, with a great team and a sense of camaraderie, made Mana feel at home
- Operational Support: Responsive management ensures reliable maintenance for critical equipment like walk-in coolers
- Growth Potential: The ability to launch multiple brands from a single 200-square-foot kitchen space
“The onboarding manager definitely gave me the gems and was always following up. He told me where to go, who to talk to for equipment, and helped with the health department, too. Every step of the way, there was no question he didn’t answer,” said Miniimah.
The Results
Since joining CloudKitchens, So Halal has achieved significant milestones:
- Brand Expansion: Successfully launched multiple food concepts from a single kitchen space
- Customer Growth: Built a loyal customer base who may not be aware that the different brands come from the same talented chef
- Family Business Development: Created a sustainable business model that gives her time for her children, teaching them entrepreneurship firsthand
“It definitely gives you more freedom. I’m not tied down with a bunch of different people, finances, marketing—everything. I have more flexibility to move around and not deal with the full responsibility of a traditional restaurant. That kind of freedom is huge,” explains Miniimah.
Looking Ahead
After succeeding in Decatur, now Miniimah looks forward to having a So Halal location in every state of the country. With the support of CloudKitchens and inspiration from other successful operators, her vision is clear.
“CloudKitchens is a global company that gives you the opportunity to grow while still benefiting from their support and deep understanding of infrastructure and systems. I can already picture So Halal on billboards across Maryland, D.C., and Virginia.” – Chef Miniimah Muhammad
https://www.sohalalsoulfood.com/
Our restaurant partners
Questions?
We’re here to help
What is a ghost kitchen?
Ghost kitchens, also known as dark kitchens or virtual kitchens, are commercial kitchens built for food delivery. They’re located within the delivery radius of a high volume of online customers, rather than high foot traffic areas. With ghost kitchens, there’s no physical storefront or dining area, so you only need a few back-of-house staff members to fulfill online orders.
How does a ghost kitchen work?
In a ghost kitchen, your restaurant is focused on delivery rather than dine-in. When eaters order your food online, you’ll prepare it from your ghost kitchen, and hand it off to a fulfillment team to get the order over to the right delivery driver. This gives restaurateurs a low cost, high efficiency model to get the most out of delivery.
Are ghost kitchens profitable?
Yes. Ghost kitchens allow restaurateurs to increase profitability by maintaining the essential elements of a restaurant while cutting costs on labor, overhead, and wasted food while reaching a higher volume of customers ordering online. Plus, you can run multiple virtual brands out of a single ghost kitchen to increase revenue without the extra overhead.
Why are ghost kitchens so popular?
Ghost kitchens are rising in popularity because they’re a lower cost alternative to operating a traditional restaurant. They’re also focused on delivery, which has grown 300% faster than dine-in since 2014. That means restaurateurs are using ghost kitchens to future-proof their business and accelerate growth.
How does a ghost kitchen help your restaurant grow?
Ghost kitchens help restaurateurs grow their business by doing delivery right. The way we dine has changed, and ghost kitchens allow restaurant operators to capture food delivery demand without sacrificing their bottom line. They’re also a great way to expand to new markets without spending time and money on a traditional restaurant buildout. You can easily expand your restaurant brand to different cities across the country such as Los Angeles or New York.
How much do ghost kitchens cost?
The cost of ghost kitchens varies by market, space, and services. Compared to a traditional restaurant, they’re a much lower cost alternative on both upfront capital and ongoing operating costs. You can get started in a ghost kitchen with as little as $30K, instead of $1M+ for brick and mortar buildout.
Start
cooking with us
today
