FSR January 2023

CHEFS & INGREDI ENT S CHEF PROF I LE

management. You have to be able to shift gears; one minute, you could be in a pool bar restaurant, cranking out chicken ten ders and french fries, and then you shift to being in the fine-dining restaurant that’s a $200 average check per person, putting out multi-course meals,” Gilbert says. “Working in hotels gave me that diversity.” In addition to his work in hotels, Gilbert is an entrepreneur who has built multiple businesses (from CPG spice blends to restaurants), competed on “Top Chef,” and even snagged praise from none other than Oprah Winfrey. These wide-ranging experiences have made Gilbert a shoo-in for his new role as vice president of culinary operations at Grove Bay Hospitality. The Miami based group comprises a number of

concepts created by multiple (and often star-studded) chefs, including Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster Overton; Michelin-starred Stubborn Seed and Beauty & the Butcher from “Top Chef ” champion Jeremy Ford; and Stubborn Seed, Stiltsville Fish Bar, and Mi ’talia from another pair of “Top Chef” alums, Janine Booth and Jeff McInnis. Grove Bay previously had a corpo rate chef, which was similar in spirit to Gilbert’s position, but the title change marks a shift in how the growing group will operate moving forward. “My job is to be the voice of the chef when they’re not present—because they’re growing their brand, and they’re doing a lot of different things—and [to] understand what I call the sacred cows of the operation. What makes a Red

Rooster, Red Rooster? What makes a Stubborn Seed, Stubborn Seed? What makes Mi’talia, Mi’talia?” he says. “You have to respect the chef for who they are as a professional and what they’ve accomplished in their career and in building their brand, but then also have the confidence to be able to give exam ples of how to make it better.” It’s a fine line to walk, but Gilbert does so with aplomb. Recently, the chef made a small suggestion while review ing theMi’talia menu withMcInnis. e restaurant’s cheese plate had two Ameri can varieties and only one Italian cheese; Gilbert recommended that, in keeping with the Italian focus of the restaurant, they switch it to be two Italian and one domestic cheese. “I’ve known Jeff for a long time. He

KENNY GILBERT

KENNY GILBERT

FAVORITE KITCHEN TOOL: French knife INGREDIENT OF THEMOMENT: Chicken TOP TRENDOF 2023: More fast casuals, like Ricky Moore’s Saltbox Seafood Joint CHEF YOU’DMOST LIKE TO WORKWITH: Jeremy Ford

GILBERT IS WORKING WITH CHEFS JANINE BOOTH AND JEFF MCINNIS ON ROOT & BONE, WHICH SERVES UPSCALE SOUTHERN FARE.

GROVE BAY HOSPITALITY (3)

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FSRMAGAZINE .COM

JANUARY 2023