Kelvin Miller has opened a Confections Carnival Food restaurant that features a menu of items found at carnivals, community events and fairs. The idea was to take his Jam Concessions traveling kitchen and bring the idea in a carnival-themed restaurant.
That’s the premise behind the opening of Confections Carnival Food at 1209 W. Poinsett Street.
Want a chicken cheesesteak for lunch? Maybe a giant grilled hot dog with all the toppings imaginable. Add onion rings and ribbon fries. There’s no more waiting for festivals for funnel cake, fried Oreos or fried cheesecake.
Miller and his wife, Rhonda, have made his traveling festival of carnival food into a fully operated restaurant. “It’s all the food I like to eat,” Miller said. He has tempered his diet from his earlier years of fearlessly enjoying his menu.
Miller has been a mainstay at Greer’s Family Fest as Jam Concessions in past years and will return for this year’s event. “It’s because of working the Family Fest that I am in Greer,” Miller said. “I have traveled to a lot of festivals in the southeas,t and the Family Fest is the best-run festival I have ever been to.
David Engross was among the afternoon crowd visiting Confections Carnival Food last Friday. He came by to support his neighbor and have lunch. “I had the chili dog and onion rings. The onion rings were amazing and the batter was crispy,” Engross said.
Dessert was not in Engross’ plans Friday. “I had to come back for dessert. I got funnel cake but it was so big I couldn’t eat it all. I’ve never tried the fried Oreo, but I’m going to come back to have it.
“We do everything from scratch,” Miller said. “We make our own batter, chargrill the burgers. It’s labor intensive but everything is fresh.”
The foods are distinguished in categories such as Sweet Fried “Swing Around” Treats (funnel cake, Oreos, cheesecake, cookie dough nuggets); Fan “Ferris Wheel” Favorites (cotton candy, candy apples, confetti corn, shaved ice); Rocking “Roller Coaster” (sausage dogs, giant grilled hotdogs, doughnut burger, charbroil burger); Dynamic “Drop Tower” (chicken fingers, carnival corn brat, giant smoked turkey leg, chicken on a stick); and Fun Side “Slides” (ribbon fries, Bloomin’ onion, onion rings, cole slaw).
5 on 5 with Kelvin Miller
GreerToday.com When did the idea first occur that you wanted to work with carnival-type foods?
Kelvin: When I was younger there was a guy in Spartanburg, who had a food trailer with a grill on a corner. I would pass him everyday. All he served was hot dogs and bologna. He had would chargrill them and I would stop by when he was there.
GreerToday.com Traveling with your trailer to festivals and opening Carnival Food almost describes you as a part-time carny.
Kelvin: When I was first asked that I took it as a bad connotation. But I started selling sweets and our menu is like carnival foods. It’s everything I liked to eat when I was younger. It’s like when Krispy Kreme has its light on for warm doughnuts, you’re happy. That’s how we feel about our food.
GreerToday.com: You played football in Spartanburg, live in Duncan and have set up business in Greer. How did you decide to place your business here?
Kelvin: I looked in Greenville and Spartanburg but the Greer Chamber was the only one to help us out and work with us. They offered Smart Business. Angela Rutland (Greer Development) was very helpful. It just seems that this is where God means for me to be.
GreerToday.com: What was the defining moment that convinced you open a restaurant serving carnival foods?
Kelvin: I started off with a small trailer and people would come up to me and say they wish we could produce more selections and more food. I then got a bigger trailer to get more people in it to serve bigger crowds. People told us they would buy our food at a restaurant if it were available.
GreerToday.com: You have two sons, 8 and 3, and your wife and families are involved in this business. Where do you expect it to go?
Kelvin: It’s not about money. My dad died three years ago and I was his only son. We were close and I’m making a go of this because it’s now my responsibility to leave something for my sons. I’ve got my faith. If this doesn’t work we’ll do something else.