Meet Amanda Hicks of Memphis Whistle
Amanda Hicks is the powerhouse behind Memphis Whistle, a fun and eclectic restaurant in Cooper-Young. Get to know this joyful and creative FACE of Memphis!
Inspired by her grandmother, Oklahoma-born Amanda Hicks originally began her career in healthcare with a focus on senior and end-of-life care. “Generally, when someone was nearing the end, I would sit with them, hold their hand, and let them know it was ok,” she says. Her nearly 15 years of caregiving began to take a toll, however, and she reached a point where she could no longer lift her patients.
Dabbling in the kitchen gave Amanda both a creative outlet and a way to take care of people without having to literally lift them up. This mission has found a colorful and delicious home at Memphis Whistle, a fun and eclectic restaurant owned by Amanda and her husband, Jef. Meet this joyful and creative FACE of Memphis — Amanda Hicks!
How did Memphis Whistle get its start?
Memphis Whistle got its start at the beginning of the pandemic. [I started it] with my husband, Jef, and another bartender in town, David Parks. Jef has been a bartender for 35-plus years. He’s a magician behind the bar.
David and Jef came up with an idea to deliver quart mason jars of cocktails. We advertised it solely via Facebook and Instagram. It went so well that we started looking for a brick-and-mortar space. When we found our current property, we knew it was the right place. It used to be Chef Tam’s and before that, Imagine Vegan. A lady stopped by the other day and told us it used to be a beauty parlor, so there’s a fun history behind it.
I was still in healthcare when Memphis Whistle started as a cocktail delivery service, so I wasn’t hands-on at first. But in March last year, I had to get a hip replacement. A few months later, I had to get a rotator cuff repaired. I attribute that to healthcare and having very large children!
We moved into the space in January 2022 with the intention of continuing the cocktail deliveries, but we had to re-tool a little bit, and the food menu was born. We went through a couple of hiccups with the kitchen, but once I recovered from surgery, I was able to jump in with both feet.
What is your role at Memphis Whistle now?
I’m a full-time owner now. I can do it all – run the kitchen and the bar. I create some of the shrubs for beverages. Jef and I collaborate a lot; we have fun competitions to see whose shrubs taste better. We use the shrubs for both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. As a non-drinker, my goal is to create pretty drinks with pretty garnishes that make you feel like you are a part of the party. Mine is an AA situation, but people don’t drink for lots of reasons. We have pregnant women come in – they don’t want to sit there with water; they want to be a part of the fun. We usually have something with ginger in it; ginger is great if you have pregnancy nausea! When we design our drinks, we try to think of different ways they can benefit you. Right now, we have a blueberry and thyme shrub that goes really well with fizzy water.
The menu we have right now is mostly based on my ideas. The chili is one that my mom made forever. The pork and chicken are my creations – I make the spice rub. The Queso dip is a recipe I brought with me from when Jef and I lived in Austin, Texas. Our new chef, Chadd Carter, and I have found a symbiotic relationship in recipe development. Our menu additions are a collaboration between the two of us.
Tell us more about your inspiration from your time in Texas.
In Texas, we loved to host football parties and come up with fun food to serve. We did pizzas on tiny tortillas that everyone loved. The first time I made the barbeque sauce we currently use at the Whistle was in Texas. Austin was a very health-conscious city, so we started playing with ideas on how to use fresh ingredients and grow our own herbs.
You can have dinner parties at your house, and people will tell you they like your food, but … they’re at your house, they kind of have to say that! They don’t have to say that if they are at a restaurant. We’ve had such good responses to our food at the Whistle. It’s been validating that we are doing something right.
What else inspires you when creating new flavors for food and beverages?
I typically go with what’s in season. We finished peach season, and now we are going into berries. We have blackberry ginger, which makes a great bramble with bourbon. Sometimes, I just stand in our garden and allow inspiration to strike!
We partner as much as we can with local vendors. It is important to us — both for the menu and because, if you keep the dollar here, it circulates here. I’m a transplant, but this city has my heart. The sense of community is amazing.
What else do you love about Memphis?
I love the way the city feels and the energy it has. The first time I came to Memphis with Jef, we stood at the Mississippi River at the plaque about the Trail of Tears. That’s my heritage. My grandma’s family was part of the removal – they were Native Americans who were forced down the Trail of Tears. Feeling that connection to my heritage is very special to me.
The history of Memphis is incredibly fascinating. It has sad and tumultuous parts, but I think that’s one of the things that draws me in.
Getting back to the restaurant, Memphis Whistle has a unique and fun vibe – relaxing and hip at the same time. What was your inspiration?
The space, inside and out, is very indicative of us. Our home has a very similar aesthetic. As far as the palette, we wanted nice rich jewel tones because everybody looks pretty in those. I picked the purple first; Jef and I have an affinity for purple. From there, I wanted a color to complement purple, so we picked teal.
We wanted it to be a place where people felt at home, comfortable, and unrushed. It’s not a get-in and get-out, churn-and-burn kind of restaurant. That’s why we have a little lounge for people to relax in.
Where can we find you when you are not working?
At home — maybe taking a nap and definitely spending time with my three kids.
What’s your best piece of advice?
Treat others as you would want to be treated. It doesn’t matter who you come across; somebody else is always going through something you can’t see. Always go through your day with love, kindness, and understanding in your heart.
Aside from faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?
Coffee, plants, and cats.
All photography by Joe Sills.
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Gaye Swan
As a professional writer of over 20 years, Gaye is an avid traveler and enjoys highlighting food, culture, and attractions around the South. While Gaye is passionate about life in Memphis, she grew up in Meridian and is still a Mississippi girl at heart.