Whatever Happened To Taylor Hicks From American Idol?

Outside of music, the musician opened a restaurant in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, called Ore Drink and Dine in April 2011 (via AL.com). Before Taylor Hick's ownership, the venue used to be the Open Door Café and was owned by his late friend Robert Hawkins. Hicks regularly performed there so he decided to take it over and transform it into his own place when Hawkins passed away.

A year later, Hicks partnered with another Birmingham restaurateur (via Birmingham Business Journal), and Ore Drink and Dine joined Mike Wilson's Saw Juke Joint as a combined venue. "The opportunity came up to partner with a great restaurant group, and we thought it fit the space perfectly," Hicks told AL.com. "I think the concept first the area perfectly. We all know Saw's has the best barbecue in town, and the juke joint concept is a home run."

In 2016, Hicks took his love of food even further by hosting his food show "State Plate" on the cable network INSP. It ran for three seasons (via IMDb). The series saw Hicks travel across the United States to make the perfect dish that personified each state he visited. "As a touring musician ... I think, like all of us Southerners do, I have been on a food tour," Hicks told Commercial Appeal. "INSP has this wonderful idea for a food and travel concept, and it all just came together."