Free Newsletter
Listen to this articleIan So
CEO, Co-Owner/Co-Founder of Chicken & Rice Guys
From 2012 to 2016, Ian has led Chicken & Rice Guys to be the 206th fastest growing private company in America (officially recognized by Inc 5000) and the 10th fastest in Massachusetts. He is not stopping there. Ian’s goal is to be the first global food truck brand. And, with a 4 year growth rate of over 3,000%, his business is quickly on track for that global expansion. What started as one food truck the team bought on eBay, is now 5 trucks with permanent locations, 7 restaurants, and a multi-million dollar catering business.
Chicken & Rice Guys has also won numerous awards and publications in the media including, 2017 Boston Business Journal’s 2017 Fast 50 (Private Businesses), Boston Business Journal’s 2016 Diversity in Leadership Award for Corporate Impact, Boston Eater’s Hottest Restaurants of 2015, Thrillist’s Best Food Trucks in Boston, Reader’s Digest Nationally Top Ranked Food Truck, Boston A-List’s Best Food Truck of 2013, 2014 and 2016, and has enjoyed top rankings Yelp.com.
Some of Ian’s greatest accomplishments are winning Boston Business Journal’s 2016 40 Under 40, winning Mayor Walsh’s 2016 Spark Impact Awards, and Smart CEO’s Future 50 2017 award.
Ian is frequently featured on the speaking circuit for his entrepreneurship. Notable appearances include sitting on a panel with Bizarre Food’s Andrew Zimmern & Top Chef’s Gail Simmons at Babson College’s Food Day, and a guest on NBC’s Asia Focus with Mary Sit. His most interesting speaking engagement was doing a reading with Pulitzer Prize winner Cerise Jacobs.
In his spare time, Ian is very active in the Asian community serving as a board member/leader for the Boston Asian Entrepreneurship Foundation, the Asian American Civic Association, and the Boston Hurricanes Athletic Club. He also recently joined the City of Boston’s Food Truck Advisory Committee. To balance out all his hard work, Ian spends his free time doing yoga, meditating, hiking, biking, and his favorite past time, playing basketball.
