Dave’s Hot Chicken was created in 2017 by four childhood friends: Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, and Gary Rubenyan in a parking-lot pop‑up in East Hollywood, Los Angeles.

Who created Dave’s Hot Chicken?

  • The concept and fried chicken recipe were developed by chef Dave Kopushyan, who had fine‑dining training under Thomas Keller’s restaurant group.
  • He teamed up with his friends Arman Oganesyan and Tommy Rubenyan to launch a late‑night hot chicken stand with just about 900 dollars, folding tables, and a portable fryer.
  • Shortly after, Tommy’s brother, Gary Rubenyan, joined them as the fourth co‑founder to help grow the business beyond the original stand.

Quick Scoop

  • Started: 2017, East Hollywood parking lot pop‑up.
  • Founders: Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan, Tommy Rubenyan, Gary Rubenyan.
  • Claim to fame: Nashville‑style hot chicken, simple menu, and a chef‑driven recipe designed to scale (using accessible “baseline” ingredients in the coating).
  • Today it has expanded into a fast‑growing chain with hundreds of locations and high‑profile celebrity investors.

Mini timeline

  1. 2017 – Parking‑lot stand opens in East Hollywood, selling hot chicken combo plates and quickly drawing long lines after local food‑media coverage.
  1. 2018 – The pop‑up closes and a small brick‑and‑mortar restaurant opens nearby on Western Avenue.
  1. 2019 onward – Franchise deals and investor involvement turn it into one of the fastest‑growing restaurant brands in North America.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.