Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Furkioti – Pham
Hi alexis, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My journey has always been driven by a deep passion for food, wine, and business strategy. I studied Business Administration at Sonoma State University, concentrating in Wine Business Strategies, which set the foundation for my corporate career. After graduating, I joined Jackson Family Wines, where I spent 12 years immersed in brand strategy, distribution, and operations at one of the largest family-owned wine empires in the world.
While I loved the hospitality industry, I was certain I’d never work in fine dining—it just wasn’t for me. Still, my passion for wine and lifelong learning led me to complete the Court of Master Sommeliers program, purely out of curiosity and the desire to push myself.
Everything changed in 2015 when I met my now-husband, Chef Viet Pham, at Beaver Creek Food & Wine. At the time, his lease for Forage in Salt Lake City was up, and he had already been developing Pretty Bird’s hot chicken recipes since 2012. As we started dating, he shared his vision for elevated, chef-driven hot chicken, something that was still largely unfamiliar outside of Nashville.
In 2018, we brought that vision to life, opening Pretty Bird together. Today, Chef Viet is the creative force behind the brand, while I handle all operations behind the scenes-a dynamic that allows us to play to our strengths and push Pretty Bird forward with both innovation and precision.
What started as a single restaurant has since grown into a recognized brand, where we bring an obsessive focus on quality, hospitality, and execution-values that have been ingrained in me throughout my career. And while my day-to-day is all about running operations, I still have a little wine in me—at Pretty Bird, we offer cool canned wine and beer pairings to complement the heat of our hot chicken, bringing my passion for wine full circle. We also serve a dom perignon champagne pairing as well! Nothing pairs better than hot chicken and champagne.
Now, our focus is on building an even stronger team, refining our systems, and ensuring that as we grow, we continue delivering an experience that is thoughtful, strategic, and, above all, delicious.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The pandemic forced us to pivot in ways we had never considered before. Before 2020, we didn’t even offer online ordering-we were already serving 800 people a day out of our tiny, 575 sq. ft. location, and demand was never an issue. But when the world changed, so did we. Embracing online ordering not only helped us stay afloat but it allowed us to grow.
That huge shift to technology-driven solutions has shaped how we operate today. We now have self-ordering kiosks and are always looking for ways to be as tech-forward as possible while still delivering the best customer experience.
Of course, hiring has been a challenge, just like it has for the entire industry. But at Pretty Bird, we don’t just hire anyone-we hire the best, build a strong team, and create a postivie work culture that puts people first. At the end of the day, Pretty Bird wouldn’t be where it is without our incredible team and our loyal customers.
Now, as we scale the brand, we face new challenges-finding the right locations while maintaining our focus on quality control. With a celebrity-proven chef behind the brand, every recipe is uniquely ours, and we ensure that every single order is sent out picture-perfect.
Growth is never easy, but we are strategic, relentless, and committed to making Pretty Bird even better as we expand.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At Pretty Bird, my role goes far beyond just running the day-to-day operations,I wear a lot of hats. I oversee marketing and brand messaging, social media, HR, financial strategy, and operational efficiency. I also work closely with our GMs, ensuring they are always prepared, adaptable, and never too comfortable—because in this industry, anything can happen, and we need to be ready for it.
I work alongside my husband, Chef Viet Pham, 24/7, which has been both an incredible strength and a challenge—we’re still learning how to set better boundaries between work and personal life. While Viet is the creative force behind Pretty Bird, I handle everything behind the scenes, including recipe build-outs, POS system implementation, and the constant trial and error that comes with growing a business. Together as a husband and wife team we are always evolving, testing, and improving-never staying stagnant.
One of the things I am most proud of is building a company along side my husband that has a stellar reputation, pays some of the highest wages while offering health insurance to our employees which is unheard of in Utah’s restaurant industry, and has built a loyal customer base. Seeing familiar faces return again and again reminds me that we’re doing something right. Pretty Bird isn’t just about making incredible hot chicken,it’s about creating a brand, a culture, and an experience that keeps people coming back for more.
Chef Viet Pham does a lot of food television so I love cheering him on too! We are a perfect pairing haha
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories is going to my grandpa’s bakery, Revels Bakery, in Torrance, CA. After school, I would stop by and get an éclair every single day because he made the absolute best. To this day, I still haven’t had one that comes close to his,it was pure greatness! So if anyone wants to send me some eclairs wink wink I would be happy to test them out 🙂
Pricing:
- Loyalty Program – Earn rewards with every purchase
- Catering available – pricing varies based on order size
- Beer and Wine available
- Hot Chicken Sandwich- 11.25
- Hot Chicken Sandwich Combo – 16.25
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.prettybirdchicken.com
- Instagram: @prettybirdchicken
- Facebook: @prettybirdchicken
