Twin sisters Maya and Kala Johnstone had always wanted to run their own restaurant, and their dream recently came true with the opening of FoodChasers’ Kitchen in Elkins Park, writes Michael Klein for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Getting to that point, however, was not simple.

The sisters previously worked at the School District of Philadelphia, Kala as principal of Edmonds Elementary School in Cedarbrook and Maya as principal of Wagner Middle School in West Oak Lane.

When they retired after two decades with the school district, they started a part-time catering company at the height of the pandemic. The business was so successful that the Johnstones were easily convinced to open FoodChasers’ Kitchen in Dec. 2021, close to the Elkins Park train station.

The eatery combines takeout and delivery with a modest dining room.

It is not a low-calorie experience: The sisters serve enormous, lavishly sauced plates of delicious breakfast and lunch foods such as shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, French toast, and fried chicken.

As a bonus, everything on a plate can be turned into a “steak sandwich.”

At 43 years-old, the sisters are living their dream.

Read more about FoodChasers Kitchen in Elkins Park in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on May 3, 2022; it has been verified as accurate.

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The FoodChasers provide a first-person account of their culinary history.