From Eagle Scout to Culinary Innovator
My Kamado Joe Journey
I'm from Hillsborough, North Carolina, famous for Whole Hog Cookery. Growing up as an Eagle Scout, cooking over live fire was a skill and lifestyle I embraced early on. I vividly remember my mother baking a chocolate cake in the wilderness using a cardboard box, aluminum foil, coat hangers, and fire embers.
My passion for feeding people in need led me to restaurants, where I cultivated my skills, working under top chefs worldwide. Eventually, I opened my first restaurant in Wrightsville Beach, NC, transforming from dishwasher to award-winning chef. The 2008 financial crisis pushed me to open a Contemporary Latin restaurant in Wilmington, NC, where we thrived by focusing on unique flavors and nightlife.
When my wife and I were expecting our first daughter, we moved to Raleigh, NC, and opened The Chef's Academy, a successful culinary school. Later, I opened the world's first restaurant using only ceramic grills.
A breakthrough came during a trip to Australia for the Barbecues Galore Conference, where we hosted a successful KJ Block Party. This event marked the beginning of my new role with Kamado Joe, hosting 52 parties/events globally in the first year, sharing recipes and fostering culinary transparency. My journey with Kamado Joe has been about embracing positivity and giving back everything I've learned in my culinary career.
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