Chef Kenny Gilbert on Southern Roots, Global Flavors, and Building Culinary Legacy
- janna225
- 1 day ago
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Article by: Janna Tamargo | Photography by Kristen Penoyer & Michael Rakim | Published June 19, 2025
For Chef Kenny Gilbert, cooking has never been just about what’s on the plate. It’s about who it’s for, where it’s served, and what story it tells. Known for his appearances on Top Chef, his work at Ritz-Carlton properties, and his spice blends (which landed on Oprah’s Favorite Things), Gilbert’s culinary career has always blended personal roots with a global perspective.
So how does he define authenticity in food and cooking?
“It’s all about creating with intention,” he says. “For me, the most important thing is understanding the community I’m cooking for. What are their stories? What flavors bring them home?”
That philosophy guided his recent work at a new restaurant in Providence Airport, Narragansett Kitchen & Bar. Knowing the area’s rich Italian and Portuguese heritage, Gilbert built a menu that married classic brewery fare with nods to local flavors, pretzels with beer cheese next to marinated olives, garlic cheese bread, and even a breakfast sandwich featuring Portuguese chouriço.
“I want people to sit down, take a bite, and say, ‘Wow, this reminds me of my grandmother, or that summer BBQ,’” he says. “It’s about connection.”
A Cookbook That Reflects a Life in Flavor
Gilbert’s first cookbook, Southern Cooking, Global Flavors, released in 2023, is more than just a collection of recipes, it is a reflection of his culinary life. Raised in Cleveland, he grew up surrounded by friends from all backgrounds: Mexican, Croatian, Italian, Jewish, and more. Sleepovers meant home-cooked meals from different cultures. That early exposure shaped his instinct to blend familiar comfort with the flavors of the wider world.
“I was always curious,” he says. “I’d be the one in the kitchen asking, ‘Can I help? What’s in this?’” His mother’s Southern cooking laid the foundation, but his professional experiences, cooking at luxury resorts, and learning from chefs of every background ultimately helped him evolve.
“The book came naturally,” Gilbert explains. “It’s who I am, bringing people together around the table with flavors that make sense, but also surprise you.”
The Power of Simplicity
Despite having cooked for celebrities and billionaires, Gilbert’s cooking philosophy leans toward simplicity. “People just want good food,” he says. “Oprah doesn’t need caviar on everything. Give her cornbread, peas, a little honey, hot sauce, and she’s happy. That’s the food that brings memories back.”
For Gilbert, simplicity doesn’t mean boring; it means editing with care. “Over the years, I’ve learned the power of restraint,” he says. “If I’m making a Southern dish with an Italian preparation, I’m going to respect both traditions in the process. That’s the kind of cooking I’m proud of.”
Why Spice Matters
One of the things Chef Gilbert is best known for today is his growing line of spice blends, flavorful, balanced, and versatile. “I’ve been making spice blends since I was a teenager,” he says. “My dad used to do backyard barbecues, and I’d watch him mix his own rubs. That’s where it all started.”
Years later, his blends became the secret behind his Top Chef creations. Then came the turning point: in 2020, Oprah named his spices one of her Favorite Things, bringing national attention to Gilbert’s work.
“I want my spice blends to be pantry staples, not just another jar you buy once and forget,” he says. “Whether you’re making scrambled eggs or Sunday dinner, I want it to enhance the flavor, not overpower it.”
What He Hopes to Leave Behind
As for legacy, Gilbert doesn’t hesitate. “I want to be remembered as a chef who stayed true to himself, and helped others learn along the way. I don’t hold anything back when I teach younger chefs. That’s how I was trained, and that’s how I’ll always be.”
It’s a fitting goal for someone who’s spent a lifetime bridging personal flavor memories with global ingredients, blending family history with culinary creativity, and showing that the most memorable meals often start with a simple question: Who’s this for?
