Ludacris Opens Straits Restaraunt in Atlanta

Ludacris is a man of many talents. He has been in the mix as of late with things outside of music. His latest venture is a new restaraunt: Straits, which opened last week in Atlanta. There were two interesting articles written about Luda… check them out:

From The Atlanta Peach

Whenever I dedicate myself to something, I never say, ‘Oh, I am a celebrity, I am sure its going to be successful,’ ” says Chris “Ludacris” Bridges. Of course, the 30-year-old entertainment mogul says this while sitting poolside at his palatial southwest Atlanta estate. So far, he has been a success. However, it’s the eve of the opening of his new venture, Straits—the fourth restaurant in a chain made popular in California by chef Chris Yeo—and although this Georgia State University graduate has a healthy track record of achievement, the restaurant industry is entirely new territory for him. The Grammy-winning rapper and star of Oscar-winning films Crash and Hustle & Flow is admittedly anxious, but confident nonetheless. His assurance lies in preparation and partnership. “I always do my homework. But, [being] nervous makes you work harder. I want to share my experiences with the world, but only [working] with the best people in the business.”

Read the rest of the Atlanta Peach article – Stepping Into Unchartered Waters

The Sunday Paper also had an interesting article about Mr. Luda:

Up until this point, glitzy, globetrotting and Grammy-winning entertainment mogul Chris “Ludacris” Bridges has been known for dropping hot chart-topping rhymes, attracting ladies like bees to honey and starring in Oscar winning films such as “Hustle & Flow” and “Crash.” After this weekend, the Atlanta rapper earns himself the esteemed label of restaurateur, too. But he’s not going it alone. Ludacris joined forces with West Coast chef extraordinaire Chris Yeo, owner of three Straits restaurants in California. Straits, named for the Straits of Malacca, a waterway flowing between Malaysia and Singapore, broadens Atlanta’s palate with distinctive Singaporean fare, which incorporates the flavors and cooking styles of Thai, Indonesian, Chinese, Malay, Indian and Nonya cuisines with exotic spices and fresh herbs. The upscale $2.7 million restaurant nests in Midtown Atlanta, in the former Spice location, a building Ludacris purchased nearly one year ago and subsequently invested almost $1 million into renovations. The Sunday Paper caught up with business partners Ludacris and Chef Yeo (see sidebar) to talk about the grand opening, slated for April 25 as of press time, and, of course, a little bit about Luda’s ever-growing music-and-film career. The duo agrees on just about everything—except karaoke.

Read the entire interview here – Coast to Coast