Small Business, Big Conversations: Vic Searcy of Sauce the City

Cleveland has no shortage of claims to fame, but Vic Searcy’s Chicken Sandwich stands out even in a city of bests.

With locations in University Heights, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and Cleveland Browns Stadium, you’d think Sauce the City has been around for decades. On the contrary, Chef Vic launched (almost by accident) in 2018 when he won a location in the Ohio City Gallery.

At the time, Searcy was earning advanced degrees in organizational psychology and directing social services activities for a rehabilitation center. But his passion for cooking drove his destiny and the signature hot sauces he was concocting at Kent State sealed his fate.

Only five short years from launch, Chef Vic now has many claims to fame of his own, from selling 2,500 hot chicken sandwiches to MGK for peckish Ohio City residents to feeding thousands of hungry Cleveland sports fans at three stadium locations. It’s no wonder Sauce the City was voted Ohio’s #1 Chicken Sandwich.

Watch episode four of Small Business, Big Conversations featuring Vic Searcy of Sauce the City below.


Hosted by JumpStart’s resident digital marketing expert (and recovering small business owner) Freddie Coffey, Small Business, Big Conversations spotlights ambitious entrepreneurs as they discuss their struggles, successes and life lessons that are sure to motivate and inspire anyone who wants to start or grow their own business.

Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or a seasoned small business owner looking for new ideas, this show is for you. Tune in for a new episode each month to hear the stories, experiences, and invaluable insights of people just like you, working to start and grow their small businesses here in Ohio and beyond.

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