Community Highlights: Meet Kevin Smith of Kevin Kendalls Kitchen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Smith.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up in a small town in England, I had a unique exposure to food. Both of my Grandmothers were butchers and they taught me early on that food is to be respected and appreciated. They both used every animal from nose to tail and catered to clients that shared their doctrine. Long before there was such a thing as “Organic” my grandmothers made a point of telling me how important it was that animals got to be outside and eat grass. They gave me an understanding that a happy animal produced better products for clients. I learned at a young age the differences between cuts of meat, which organs produced the best soups, pies, broths, gravy, etc. and in that way, I had a leg up as I got older and moved into the culinary world. I began to focus my attention more on vegetables and applying the same ideals to the area of acquiring produce that had been left alone and grown with sun, water, and soil – no pesky chemicals.

At just 16, I knew I wanted to move into the culinary arena but I had a strong inclination towards the sciences and how life was made – Chemistry & Biology fascinated me. Little did I know that those sciences would be the foundation of most of what I learned about nutrition during my years at university and moving forward as I expanded my ability to cook for clients with different dietary restrictions and health conditions. I attained my culinary degree and became certified in food sciences at my university in London.

I began working in hotels and restaurants after college honing my skills and eventually was given the opportunity to move to Santa Monica where I began working in a restaurant in the Pacific Palisades. It was there I cemented my skills in Asian cuisine – sushi was a pure joy to prepare and I began my journey of understanding food history when I stumbled upon real fermented soy for the first time.

Over the next few years, I began to build my knowledge of Mexican cooking and transitioned into a restaurant that I could grow in. I loved the kick and punch of the flavors. It was at this point in my career I found myself cooking for notable people such as Barack Obama, Magic Johnson, Stella McCartney, and many other high-profile clients. I began to take on work for restaurant investors and designed menus for upcoming restaurants that ranged from wine bars with small plates available to boutique pizzerias.

Suddenly amidst what seemed like the height of my career, my health crashed. The long hours and stress of opening restaurants had taken a toll on my body and I needed to regroup. I found myself going back to basics, looking for local, clean produce, reducing the amount of meat I ate, and for a time going fully vegan and playing with the culinary adventures that afforded me. I learned so much about nourishment at that time – what it really meant to give the body what it needed. I found that so much of what my grandmothers had taught me about food still rang true. At that point, I decided to go on to become certified as a Clinical Nutritionist and studied at the California University of Health Sciences. I was able to merge my new understanding of what health really was with my joy of being in the kitchen and knew at that point I wanted to take my career in a new direction. I became a personal chef.

I have worked one on one with people now for several years showing my clients how to find sustainable produce locally, where to purchase the best meat, dairy, and advise them on what foods to stay away from based on their health conditions or goals. I now provide home-raised eggs to my clients, homemade kombucha, organic bone broths, and even fermented sourdough bread made fresh in my kitchen. I first and foremost aim to create meals that excite people, meals that really give you more than you bargained for and truly nourish you. When clients find recipes online and want to try them, I always go for making it better than it was originally done and that’s the same way I feel about someone’s kitchen – I aim to leave your kitchen better than I found it.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’d say it has been a rocky, winding, undulating but overall very exciting journey that continues to provide me with challenges and new directions to grow. Finding balance has definitely been a challenge in the past and personal health issues are the two main struggles that come to mind. Those challenges have really led me to become a better, stronger, more knowledgeable and ultimately healthier individual.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Kevin Kendall’s Kitchen?
I am a Private Chef that caters everything from individuals/families in their private homes to large Events and Weddings. I have an extensive background in French/European, Asian/Japanese and California cuisines. I take a lot of pride in sourcing local, organic foods and I even grow in excess of 75 fruits and vegetables at my property in Moorpark.

Something that really sets me apart from other Chefs is my upbringing in a family of farmers and butchers that has given me a deep foundation in the history of our food and the importance of true farm to table cuisine. I also have a deep background in nutrition and I am a Certified Clinical Nutritionist. Add to that my National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer Certification and I think you have a bigger picture of what I am about. I offer my clients a multitude of services that can easily be combined to accomplish any number of goals from just having an epic meal for a birthday or special occasion to making long-term health and wellness commitments.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Knowledge is power, boy there is so much truth to that. If you know something, then you can do it. I am constantly learning and identifying things that I have interest in. Once I am interested, I soak up information until I know all I need to know. I have had many mentors along the way and I believe the successful action for me has been to find people who are really happy in what they are doing. That’s where the real talent can be found and in my experience, they are more able to help you grow. Passion and happiness are a powerful combination, and I find them thoroughly contagious!

Pricing:

• My Private Cooking rates start at $950 per Day
• My Nutritional rates start at $250 per Hour
• My Personal Trainer rates start at $250 per Hour
• Available for short and long term projects

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
• Website: kevinkendallskitchen.com or idealbodiesnutrition.com
• Instagram: @chefkheals @idealbodiesnutrition

Image Credits:
Picture of Kevin preparing food at a Wedding – Jenna Elliot @jennaelliotphoto