More than 100 years ago, Joseph Paul Korkames brought his family to the United States from Lebanon in the hopes of creating a better life for his family. A natural entrepreneur, inventor, and chef, Joe created and ran multiple businesses to help fund his world-improving inventions and to provide opportunities to both his family and fellow citizens when they needed it most—throughout the Great Depression.
Pairing his knowledge of cuisine and business with the rich Mexican-American flavors he encountered while befriending one of his Mexican-American employees in Texas, Joe and his family eventually moved to Arkansas and opened a small café, The Famous Café, in 1929. This café allowed Joe and his wife to experiment with many rich flavors while providing smiles and memories to people across their new town, Fort Smith, AR. The Korkames family eventually became known in Fort Smith as the “Famous Korkames Family”, which they are still known for today.
The café was a popular hangout for the area’s high school students and other youth from around the city. The kids would often remark that “The Famous Café is famous for its chili”. In fact, chili became so popular that Papa Joe began packaging it in one-pound hand-wrapped packages to sell to his customers at the café.
At that point, Papa Joe decided to market the chili for retail sales in grocery stores around the state so he could provide more opportunities for his family and more smiles and business for his new country. Sales were so great that Papa Joe established Famous Chili Company Inc. in 1935.
After later being acquired by his son, Joseph Edward Korkames, Joseph E. grew Famous and 4 Star Chili into household names over multiple US States. Joe E. loved to work at Famous and instill the meaning of an honest day’s work into his children’s education; he also knew he had to work hard as he had 8 kids to feed, educate, and provide for!
After Joseph E. Korkames’ death, the firm was eventually purchased by his son David, who spent his whole life perfecting the art of Chili and his family’s famous flavors. David, alongside his brother, Mike, further expanded the business into what it is today—a well-known Southern Family Brand maintaining the same great taste and smile-inducing feeling it has provided since his grandfather started the business nearly 100 years before!
Now in its 3rd generation of ownership with 3rd and 4th generation Korkames employees, Famous Chili Inc. is currently owned and operated by David and operates out of Fort Smith, Arkansas with the help of multiple other 3rd and 4th generation Korkames family members including his brother, Mike; his nephews, Mike and Scott; and his niece, KK!
Since its founding, Famous Chili has sold millions of pounds of chili and other famous food products including salsa, barbeque sauce, taco filling, gravy, and more—providing smiles, jobs, and opportunities to people across the United States for nearly a century.
Famous Chili still maintains and delivers on its motto, “Try It Once And You’ll Want It Again”!
