Educated Palate

Crunchy, crispy, juicy, delicious. Biting into the Filipino fried chicken at The Chicken Supply almost seems to slow down time. The breading crackles before you reach a tender piece of meat, the whole bite packed with flavor.

This dish is among the culinary creations of UWT alumnus Paolo Campbell, owner and head chef at The Chicken Supply in Seattle. Campbell specializes in Filipino fried chicken and sides, and his obsession with food is contagious.

“I truly am such a fan of fried chicken,” Campbell said. “I eat Korean fried chicken, super Southern fried chicken, I’ll still go to Popeyes - it’s all awesome.”

And after trying his signature fried chicken, we totally get it. It is so good that it makes you rethink every preconceived notion you’ve ever had about fried chicken. Maybe you once thought fried chicken was lowbrow or typical fast food. But now you realize it is a refined delicacy meant to be savored and appreciated.

Recipe for success: Campbell’s college years

Campbell came to UW Tacoma as a member of the first class of first-year students in 2006.

“The experience of college was amazing. All the people that I met and connected with, I definitely would not trade that for anything,” Campbell said. “It was one of the first times in my life when I hung out with such a diverse array of people and understood different cultures and backgrounds. It’s a really beautiful thing.”

Campbell got involved in a lot of student activities at UW Tacoma, but he admitted that despite all the aspects of college he enjoyed, he struggled in the traditional classroom environment. But he persevered and graduated in 2010 with a B.A. in psychology.

“I really believe that continued education is a must for everybody, but I think that education is different for everybody,” Campbell said.

Campbell was always passionate about the culinary arts. Cooking and eating were an influential part of his upbringing, his family, and the media he consumed.

“As a child, I loved magic tricks and shows. And I think that cooking is in the same vein, at least for me, where it’s like magic,” Campbell said. “Everything about food is just kind of like a magical thing. And everyone has their own experience with it.”

Into the fryer: The Chicken Supply is born

After completing the program at Seattle Central, Campbell spent a few years in a variety of kitchen settings learning the business of cooking. At one point during this time, the chef that Campbell worked under asked if he would ever consider opening his own restaurant. He knew even then that, if he did, he would serve fried chicken.

His chef pushed back on this idea, asking Campbell if he was sure he could make and serve fried chicken every single day. “I was like, ‘100%. I could make it – and eat it – every day,’” Campbell said with a laugh.

A former restaurateur and friend came to Campbell with an open restaurant space in the Greenwood neighborhood, offering Campbell a chance to realize his dream of owning his own fried chicken business. With the support of his family and friends, Campbell took the opportunity and opened The Chicken Supply in 2021.

The Chicken Supply has been well-received by the community since its opening, making a splash with customers and receiving high praise in culinary publications. Campbell’s staff is small but mighty, and he is very intentional in fostering his team.

“You have to take care of the people that work for you,” Campbell said. “I’m trying to cultivate an atmosphere that people enjoy and they want to come to work.”

He noted that this is especially important in the culinary industry, which is known for toxic work environments. Campbell attempts to offset that negative stigma with positivity, always maintaining open communication with his staff. This strategy has served The Chicken Supply well, with low staff turnover and measured growth since its opening.

Another stigma that Campbell is determined to disprove is the idea that his restaurant is in competition with other local businesses. Campbell makes a point to eat out at many of the establishments that folks might consider his competitors.

“There’s no competition here,” he said. “Let’s all eat together, you know? Especially as a family-owned business, a person of color, a minority-owned business – we’re trying to elevate everybody.”

Order up: Next on the horizon

In addition to Campbell’s brick-and-mortar restaurant, he’s recently expanded to a food trailer for festivals, events and catering. The Biig Biird trailer launched at the Bumbershoot Music Festival in 2024 and will be expanding its itinerary this summer.

Campbell has also started bottling his signature sauces - the Tinian chili hot sauce, banana ketchup, and dipping vinegar - for folks to purchase in larger quantities.

“I think there’s always ways to grow,” Campbell said. “I have all these ideas. I just need to make sure I can do it in a sustainable way and keep people with me who also see the vision.”

So keep an eye out for Campbell’s food trailer at upcoming events and festivals, or stop by The Chicken Supply next time you’re in Seattle to support this UWT alumnus.