“There you are! Where have you been? Welcome back, we’ve missed you! You’re right back where you started. When you moved I followed you to the Landings, then you got bigger and moved to the Hotel. I followed you there too. We are so happy you are back.”
This is said to Earthell Bynum daily since the restaurant Excellent Choice was reopened.
Earthell Bynum opened Excellent Choice in 1996, with only herself operating, cooking & serving. No employees and an egg carton box for her cash register. As Ms. Bynum’s food became known throughout Leavenworth her customer base grew substantially to the extent that there was a long line wrapped around this small building and customers would wait at least an hour for this delicious food. To accommodate her eager and growing customer base, she moved to two bigger locations. Open 7 days a week, breakfast, lunch and dinner and 23 employees to guide. Being at the top of her game Ms. Bynum decided it was time to take a break and closed the doors in 2003.
Earthell Bynum was born in Ridgeville, South Carolina. She moved to Leavenworth to follow her brother Clarence Felder Sr. in the Services.
Ms. Bynum has a B.S. Degree in Business Administration from Bloomfield College, Bloomfield New Jersey. She has two sons. Her youngest Mark Minnis lives in North Carolina with his wife Jennifer and two sons Ian & Kyle. Earthell’s eldest son Ivan Minnis Jr. was born in Leavenworth and resides here with his wife Rachel Minnis.
Rachel Minnis is the Co-Owner of Excellent Choice and is the daughter-in-Law of Earthell Bynum.
Rachel is a transplant from Dumbleton, Worcestershire, England and moved to the States in 1990. She spent her first 13 years in Chicago, Illinois. While there she studied at CHIC, Cooking & Hospitality Institute of Chicago. Rachel then became Assistant Cook at Webster’s Wine Bar, that has been named “100 Best Bars in Chicago”, Chicago Magazine, 2010. Rachel has been General Manager for Schlotzskys Deli and Boston Market, and Assistant Manager for Starbucks Coffee.
Both Earthell & Rachel for the past 9 years have talked about reopening Excellent Choice. Knowing that they both have what it takes to run and succeed in the Restaurant Business. They both have a passion for Great Food and Excellent Service. We know that once you have dined on their delicious catfish and more, you have made an “Excellent Choice”.