Born and raised in suburban Cleveland, Kenny Gilbert’s curiosity for the kitchen started young. His mom noticed how captivated her son was when she cooked or entertained, and so in an effort to harness it, began teaching him the basics. Kenny’s father, an avid BBQ man, schooled him in the ways of the grill, presenting him with his very own small Weber at the age of seven. By age 11 Kenny was cooking the entire Thanksgiving dinner solo, and in high school, was cooking for his entire swim team on a portable electric double burner in the locker room. Throughout his career, Kenny has traveled the world, staging in some of the top restaurants in Japan, Spain, France and the Caribbean. He has cooked at the James Beard House, participated in wine & food festivals around the country, cooked for the Sports Illustrated Super Bowl party and appeared on the “Today Show,” Jacksonville’s FOX 30 and in the LA Times. Kenny has also recently penned his first book titled, A Chef’s Journal. He’ll be appearing at Word of South with the Tampa-based bluesman J.T. Brown, whose southern influence and blend of americana, R&B and should make for a rocking performance.
Kenny Gilbert
