WE tv is adding more drama to the reality television menu with new series Hustle & Soul.
The series follows the goings on at The Pink Tea Cup restaurant in Brooklyn as head chef and owner Lawrence Chef serves up top-quality soul food in the hope of getting a Michelin star — while keeping his riotous staff in check.
The series comes with the tagline ‘If you can’t stand the bitchin’ stay out of the kitchen’ and promises to serve up some sizzling reality TV.
Meet the Hustle & Soul cast…
Lawrence Page
Lawrence aka Chef Liberace is the owner and head chef at The Pink Tea Cup, and is the driving force behind the legendary establishment. The restaurant has been serving up soul food since 1954 and was originally in NYC’s West Village before moving to Brooklyn.
Lawrence, originally from Birmingham, AL, has a lot of other strings to his bow as well — and as worked on indie films as well as with hip-hop artists.
The show follows his efforts as he tries to win a coveted Michelin star for the restaurant — but finds you need more than just top cuisine and attractive employees to get one.
How did he get his Chef Liberace nickname? He says: “I love Liberace, I think he’s a dope dude. I think he’s one of the best to do it when it comes to dressing and entertaining.
“I feel that I’m the same type of person when it comes to dressing and entertaining people, you know, touching people’s heart and soul. He touched it with music I touch it with food.”
His favorite? Fried chicken.
Ana Lavender
Ana is Lawrence’s girlfriend and also the restaurant’s general manager. She’s known for her fiery temper, and is keen to keep other famales around Lawrence at bay.
She’s head-over-heels for the guy, and says: “Lawrence and I have been together for maybe four years now. We have a child together.” But she admitted: “I still don’t have a ring.”
Ana is from the Bronx, and hopes to one day open her own restaurant.
Candice Roach
Candice is the head bartender and a real sweet-talker. But as Hustle & Soul shows, she’s far from ready to earn a Michelin star.
She says: “I bring ALL the personality to The Pink Tea Cup.” And she won’t put up with s*** from anyone — including Ana.
Lawrence says her main people is being a loving and caring people person. She can talk to anyone!
Dominic & Stefen aka ‘The Twins’
Dominic and Stef are twins and often leave Lawrence despairing because they can’t ever seem to get anything right. But this pair a real-life comedy duo and bring a lot of light relief to The Pink Tea Cup.
The pair moved to NYC from Jackson, CA, a year and a half ago and got their job after walking into Lawrence’s restaurant and asking for a job.
These guys are also sweet-talkers, and they’re not afraid of dreaming big. On their Hustle & Soul profile Stefen says he one day hopes to perform music at Madison Square Garden “or any huge arena in front of over 50,000 people”, while Dominic is partial to cars and says he wants a “Lambo, G Wagon, BMW M3, and a lifted Dodge Mega Cab”.
Sana
Sana is The Pink Tea Cup’s flirty and feisty hostess. Originally from Gaithersburg, MD, she’s a real go-getter and the sky’s the limit for this girl — literally — as the number one thing on her bucket list is to do a skydive.
Like Candice, she isn’t scared of standing up to Ana — even if she is Lawrence’s girlfriend and mother of his child.
Lawrence says: “Sana is eye-candy, but she’s not afraid of meddling in other people’s business.”
Thandi
Thandi is The Pink Tea Cup’s floor manager and is next in line to move up the restaurant’s ranks. She’s originally from Savanna-La-Mar, Jamaica, and is proud of her career accomplishments so far.
But she’s not stopping yet. Where does she see herself in a decade’s time? “Wealthy, sipping extra strong pina coladas on my own private island, by myself.”
Hustle & Soul airs Thursdays at 10/9c on WE tv.