From Baltimore roots to global plant-based powerhouse, Pinky Cole’s Slutty Vegan redefines vegan dining while breaking barriers in business and culture.
Aisha “Pinky” Cole grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants who instilled in her the grit of hard work and community service. Her mother juggled four jobs to keep the family afloat, while her father, sentenced to federal prison on the day Pinky was born, offered business wisdom from afar through letters and calls. This unconventional upbringing shaped Pinky’s entrepreneurial spirit, teaching her to create opportunities where none seemed to exist. Despite the challenges, she pursued higher education at Clark Atlanta University, an HBCU that became a cornerstone of her networking success. There, she built lifelong connections with future executives and leaders, proving that college’s true value often lies in the relationships forged, not just the degrees earned.
After graduating, Pinky dove into television production, honing her storytelling skills in a fast-paced industry. But her passion for food simmered beneath the surface. As a vegan for over eight years, she craved indulgent, junk-food-style plant-based options that didn’t feel like a compromise. In 2014, she channeled this into her first venture: Pinky’s Jamaican and American Restaurant in Harlem, New York. The spot blended her heritage with American comfort fare, but two years in, a devastating grease fire forced its closure. Broke and back at square one, Pinky relocated to Atlanta, where she rebuilt from her two-bedroom apartment. These early failures weren’t deterrents; they were fuel. Pinky Cole’s journey from TV producer to restaurateur exemplifies how Black women entrepreneurs in the vegan space turn setbacks into setups for greater triumphs.
The Birth of Slutty Vegan: Cravings Meet Bold Branding
In July 2018, Pinky Cole’s late-night hunger pangs sparked a revolution. Craving a vegan burger that packed the punch of fast food without the guilt, she started selling handmade patties through delivery apps. By September, the Slutty Vegan food truck rolled out in Atlanta’s West End, a predominantly Black neighborhood ripe for innovative eats. The name? Pure genius marketing. “Slutty Vegan” merged two ultimate indulgences—sex and food—into a provocative hook that turned heads and sparked conversations. “I knew if I named it Pinky’s Vegan, nobody would come,” Pinky later quipped. Instead, the cheeky moniker drew crowds eager to “get sluttified.”
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The menu sealed the deal. Items like the “One Night Stand” burger—a juicy plant-based patty topped with vegan cheese, Slutty Sauce, pickles, and caramelized onions on a Hawaiian bun—delivered soul-satisfying flavors. The “Fussy Hussy” loaded fries with cheese, chili, jalapeños, and that signature Slutty Sauce, while the “Chik’N Head” sandwich mimicked crispy fried chicken with a vegan twist. Sides like Slutty Fries dusted with “Slut Dust” seasoning elevated every bite. Pinky sourced ingredients for authenticity and accessibility, using Beyond Meat and Impossible patties to ensure broad appeal. Non-vegans flocked too, proving vegan food could be fun, flavorful, and far from kale salads…