CC’s on Central, a restaurant tucked away in an office park on Central Avenue, just celebrated its two-year anniversary at the end of January. There, the Cunninghams focus on providing comforting foods with dishes such as their thick, caramel-coated Praline French toast, the casual and filling hot link sandwich or hearty Southern classics such as red beans and rice and shrimp etouffee.
“We want to provide food that everybody recognizes,” Devan Cunningham says. “It's rooted in Southern food, Southern hospitality, because that's who we are."
The Cunninghams moved to Phoenix from California, where Sharon owned a catering company and taught Devan much of the trade. A year after Devan left for college, she opened a restaurant called Sharon’s Creole Kitchen. Her son later worked at the restaurant, marking the beginning of his culinary career and the mother-and-son duo’s first restaurant partnership.
“Hospitality is our ministry,” Cunningham says. “We're in this because we want to share food with people.”
Over a decade later, in 2020, Sharon had the idea to open a restaurant in Phoenix. In 2023, this officially became CC’s on Central, a destination that has become a staple for the Black community in Phoenix.
“Phoenix is a city where we don't necessarily have that hub of culture. So all you gotta do is just provide it, and people come looking for it,” Cunningham says.
One of the restaurant’s most iconic dishes, their jambalaya, is a recipe that has been passed down through the family's generations.
“Jambalaya is the first thing I learned to cook from my mom when I was in middle school,” Cunningham says. “She doesn’t cook with recipes, but I wrote everything down.”
Now, the duo are passing their recipe on again. Here's how to make the Cunningham's jambalaya.
Sharon and Devan Cunningham's jambalaya recipe
- 1-2 chicken breasts
- 2 smoked sausages
- 1 to 2 cups of chicken stock
- ½ onion, diced
- ½ bell pepper, diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 can of diced tomatoes
- 1 cup dark roux (homemade or store-bought)
- 6-8 medium Shrimp (optional)
- 1 teaspoon of each of the following seasonings: salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper
- Bay leaves (to taste)
- Green onions, parsley, and scallions for topping (optional)
- White rice (optional)
Cut and season chicken. Meanwhile, dice the sausage and brown in a separate pan. Add finely diced onions, bell peppers and garlic to the pot. Add the can of diced tomatoes and stock. Bring to a light boil, and add the dark roux. Add bay leaves, simmer and taste. Adjust as needed. Add shrimp if desired. Top with green onions, parsley and scallions. Serve with a scoop of rice on top or on the side.
