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A viewing was held at The Met for Philadelphia restaurateur KeVen Parker, who died of cancer on Jan. 14 at age 57. (Ximena Conde/WHYY)
Humanitarian, mentor, visionary, Mr. Philadelphia, the “epitome of Black excellence”: these are just some of the ways that friends, business associates, and acquaintances described KeVen Parker after paying their respects to the venerated entrepreneur and owner of Philadelphia soul-food beacon Ms. Tootsie’s.
Parker died Jan. 15 at 57 due to cancer. In addition to Ms. Tootsie’s, Parker’s business empire includes Keven Parker Soul Food Cafe in the Reading Terminal Market, Cafe 3801 in West Philadelphia, and the private catering company Simply Delicious Caterers.