From ‘Chopped’ Champion to Barleymash and Beyond with Chef Kevin Templeton

Chef Kevin Templeton has come a long way since being named an FSR 40 Under 40 Rising Star in 2018. Since then, the San Diego-based chef has launched the Baja-inspired Hasta Mañana Cantina, expanded his coffee-and-bagel chain to five locations, and doubled down on sustainable sourcing across his restaurants—including Barleymash, now 13 years strong. Templeton also talks about competing on Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay, mentoring the next generation of culinary talent, and finding balance by playing guitar in a death metal band.

Transcript

Callie Evergreen: 0:06

Hi everyone, welcome back to The Restaurant Innovator, a podcast from the editors of FSR magazine that spotlights forward-thinking chefs, restaurant owners and operators, and tech trailizers who are transforming today's food, beverage, and hospitality industry. I'm your host and FSR editor, Callie Evergreen, joined by my colleague and co-host, Sam Danley. I'm excited to introduce our special guest for today's episode, Chef Kevin Templeton, executive chef of Barley Mash. Kevin, thank you so much for joining us. How are you doing?

Kevin Templeton: 0:39

I'm doing well. Thank you for having me.

Callie Evergreen: 0:41

Yeah, yeah. Well, I'd love to start off just like hearing a little bit about your backstory, why and how you came to be a chef.

Kevin Templeton: 0:50

Love it. So it's a pretty big backstory for sure. Um, but um, so my mom, she grew up uh, or she was uh a professional in a bank and she had a bunch of uh different uh clubs that she was part of. And so she worked a lot. And so by about seventh to eighth grade, I just kind of started like cooking top ramen and mac and cheese and all that. And then by eighth, ninth grade, uh started getting a little more fancy. And then um just about probably my junior year was when I was like, okay, this is what I want to do, um, making people smile. Uh uh we used to go to punk rock shows all the time back in the day, and so all my friends would come over and I'd make them dinner ahead of time. And so that started at a pretty young age. Um yeah, haven't done anything else.

Sam Danley: 1:40

Did you always know that you wanted to like parlay that into a career and it's what you wanted to uh pursue like professionally?

Kevin Templeton: 1:48

Yes, yeah. What I forget what year, like our sophomore year or junior year in high school, you take those tests and it says the three top three things you're supposed to be. Mine was a chef, a teacher, or a park ranger. And I do I teach now and I'm a chef, so so it's working out pretty good. I could be a park ranger. I'll go.

Callie Evergreen: 2:12

Well, you know, you were named on FSR's 40 under 40 list back in 2018. So I'm curious, you know, looking back, how do you feel like you've grown in the years since? And tell us what you've been up to.

Kevin Templeton: 2:27

I think grown quite a bit. I have some amazing partners that have some faith in me, uh, opening up new restaurants. Um, always been a not to toot my own horn, like been a pretty darn good chef. Uh, but then being a restaurateur and opening up multiple stores, um, it's a whole new world for me for sure. And then I've started teaching again uh at Mesa College. So I have a pretty full plate on my on my hands, but uh, but I'm I love all of it. Uh they the restaurant ownership is definitely a challenge. Um, but I luckily have amazing partners that really help balance it out and and teach me the ways.

Sam Danley: 3:08

So, you know, you obviously uh wear a lot of different hats, um, and and you know, one of which is the executive chef at Barley Mash. For listeners who maybe aren't familiar or who haven't been to Barley Mash, haven't heard of it, just tell us a little bit about the concept itself and what you guys are doing there.

Kevin Templeton: 3:27

Absolutely. So we just celebrated our 13th year, which is crazy. That's about a million in uh in restaurant years downtown. But uh the whole concept of Barley Mash from front of the house to back of the house was just a place that you can all come, uh, you know, whether it's on a special occasion or just come every single day. We wanted a place that you feel welcome and comfortable, not too snooty, um, you know, all everything in between, but uh um and it's just beautiful, it's it's timeless, I feel. Um food-wise, you know, we have 30 beers on tap. I think we have oh man, hundreds and hundreds of whiskeys and bourbons now. And then the the food concept, too, was uh one of the main partners just said, Hey, I want you to make everything from scratch, and I want you to be over the top on everything and put as much alcohol in it as you can, too. So I said, Oh, I can do that. So we're kind of American comfort food, um, but we have a lot of Latino inspirations in there as well. And we we changed the menu around a little bit, a lot of specials. I have an amazing team that uh I'm letting them kind of run a couple specials every once in a while as well. So it's it's uh for 13 years, it's pretty cool. And still, I feel one of the best places uh in San Diego and downtown. Um, so come join us.

Callie Evergreen: 4:49

Hmm. Tell us a little bit about just the area that you're in in San Diego, the kind of food scene to give kind of a context for where Barley Mash kind of fits within that.

Kevin Templeton: 5:01

So we're downtown, we're the heart of gas lamp, we're on fifth and market. Um, and being born and raised in San Diego, I've seen the ups and downs of downtown uh rise and not fall, but just kind of just do these waves. Um, so but we for the once again the past 13 years, uh we I think we've held pretty strong. Um so the yeah, the concept is uh I mean everything's scratch made. Um, and it was right in 2012 when Seersucker was across the street, Chef Mullarkey was was a big deal, uh, you know, top chef is becoming a big thing too. So so the vibrant liveliness uh that that we provided really, really marked that timing. And uh yeah, we just keep pushing ourselves. Like I said, Scratch Made, we make our own mayonnaise, our own ketchup, our own mustard every single day. And uh yeah, I couldn't be more proud.

Sam Danley: 5:53

If you had to boil down you know that the secret or maybe what's powering that longevity, because you're right, 13 years is an eternity in this industry. If you had to pinpoint maybe one reason that you guys have managed to stick around, what would it be?

Kevin Templeton: 6:10

I would say adaptation for sure, especially downtown. You know, we could have come in, we won uh like best new restaurant and all the stuff in Gas Lamp, and and you know, we could have kind of stuck our heads in the air and said, Oh, we got this, but no, we're always afraid of what's next. And so adapting to the environment was I think that's a big key factor. Um, it's like I said, the the decor is beautiful and timeless, but the partners uh they decide, you know, every few years to kind of revamp it all and just do something new and different, and we kind of do the same thing with the food. But adaptation and hospitality, those are the those are the words. That's the word of the day you'll hear from me today.

Callie Evergreen: 6:52

I love it. I love it. You know, you've also made a name for yourself, you know, both on like local San Diego TV, but also, of course, you competed and won on Chopped in 2019. I'd love to hear a little bit about that experience, some of like the lessons that you learned and how it's kind of shaped your philosophy moving forward.

Kevin Templeton: 7:15

Absolutely. I will say, so the news segments uh I've been working in restaurants uh since so I graduated in culinary school in 1999 and came right back to San Diego. And I've worked at several different restaurants. So I'm familiar with doing news segments and all that, um, you know, the five o'clock in the mornings. Um, but uh but I love that. And so then pushing forward, getting on the so it was originally Beat Bobby Flay. I got on there, I forget what what year that was, and uh that was stressful, and then uh chopped the same thing. People ask, like, did you have a great time? I was like, no, I didn't have a great time at all. Like I was stressed out, like I mean, it was an experience though, uh, like you said, so that I mean I you can't take that away. It was it was quite an experience, stressful for sure. I'm not competitive against other chefs, I'm competitive with against myself, and so every little part of that was just like, I have to be the best, I have to be the best. And so that's where the stress levels came on on that one. But uh, all in all, great experience. Uh, we have customers come in all the time because they replay those shows, and it's it's so cool to talk to them. I'm pretty shy, as cheesy as I can be on TV and all that. Pretty shy person. So when somebody asked, you know, just to meet me or come hang out, I love just give them all the insides of, you know, they're like, well, on Chopped, is it really 20 minutes? Or do you get a do you get a secret, all these different things? So it's really, really fun to talk to the guests about that because there's some pretty hardcore Chopped fans out there.

Sam Danley: 8:50

Yeah, I'm always curious, like, uh what do you think you took away from that experience? I mean, obviously push you outside of your comfort zone, great exposure. But like as a chef from the culinary point of view, or even, you know, like a a business side, like, do you think you actually to walked away with like any like practical lessons or skills? Because it seems like it's such a unique environment. Like, is there anything applicable from that like high stakes, do it so quickly in this competitive way? It's like, you know, the real world doesn't always look like that. Right. Like what do you think that that like that pushed you on the culinary side at all?

Kevin Templeton: 9:29

I think so. I think so. Certain shows, there's uh um what's like Cutthroat Kitchen and even beat Bobby Flay, you know, you're supposed to talk all this trash, and that's just not mean at all. Um, I just come in, uh, but yeah, like chopped and and beat Bobby Flay. It's it's you literally have 20 minutes to to figure this out. And so that's speed, um, and and then just kind of in my brain, I think that's always been my strength. Like I can open up somebody's cupboard and then just say, okay, we're doing this, this, this, as opposed to um me planning. Okay, I have this much time to plan this whole menu, we'll go buy all that. I think my strength is I can yeah, open up anybody's cupboard, and that's what Chopped was all about. But yeah, I was speed, and all the chefs are so cool. Uh, the directors, um, everybody were were really, really cool. So it was it was a good experience, and then they still show those episodes. I mean, like I said, I can't remember the the the year of B Bobby Flay, but they'll still I'll still get people texting me. They're like, Oh my god, I saw you on TV. I looked a lot younger back then.

Callie Evergreen: 10:34

Keeps coming back around.

Kevin Templeton: 10:36

Yeah. Um, but but yeah, I mean, business-wise, uh, it's great. Um, we as much as I hated it, we did uh viewing parties, so I kind of hid in the kitchen most of the time, but uh, but you know, our our support, our friends, our liquor purveyors, our other restaurants, I mean it was just a packed house, so that felt really, really good, really embarrassing at the same time. But um, you know, it's just it's it's what we do. And uh I feel I did a good depiction of you know who we are at Barley Mesh. I'm not one of those cocky jerk chefs that holds my arm and doesn't, you know, and doesn't smile and all that. Like I just I want to have fun and I want to make people smile. That's the most important for me.

Sam Danley: 11:21

Do you think you'd go back and compete again on a reality competition show?

Kevin Templeton: 11:27

I think so. Maybe I'm a has been now because I'm gray and old. You know, they want they want that competition, they want that trash talking and all that. But uh um yeah, I would I would love to get back on another show. I've always applied for top chef, but for some reason just never got it from from season three on. We put the applications in, but just never got it. So maybe I'm just not drama enough. That's what I think.

Callie Evergreen: 11:52

You kind of need a little bit of toxicity, right? And if you're not willing to trash talk, you know, then Yeah. I mean, even though we're manifesting it right now here.

Kevin Templeton: 12:01

There we go.

Callie Evergreen: 12:02

Future season of Top Chef. Here we come.

Kevin Templeton: 12:05

Thank you. A long time ago, the first I think it was season two of Hell's Kitchen. I was a at a different restaurant and applying for that, and had to go to like three different callbacks, and then one was in LA, where it's like, dude, you totally got this. And um, and they're like, but now, you know, when these these casting calls, you're in a heavy metal band, so why don't you just scream and just go crazy? I'm like, no, that's not my personality. So so yeah. I'm a little too made of a gentle giant on that one, but yeah, they they want that drama and they want you, like you said, the toxicity. I feel it's kind of a bummer, but I get it. It's TV.

Callie Evergreen: 12:42

Well, you you brought it up that you're in a heavy metal band. Are you still?

Kevin Templeton: 12:47

Still, yeah. So uh I'm in a band called Godhammered. Uh, we've been playing for over 20 years in San Diego. We have a show coming up uh September 6th at Brick by Brick. That's kind of our home hometown. And uh yeah, I've on a whole nother subject. With if I didn't have music and cooking, if I didn't have one or the other to balance out, I don't think I would be very well at cooking. So the the the you know the stress of it, then I get to go be with my my best friends and just play really loud, scary music and kinds of natural release of everything. So I think uh um I wouldn't be able to do one or the other. And I'm glad I chose professional being a chef as opposed to a musician. I have some that tour around the world and come back broke as hell, so uh I think I chose wisely just to have fun with them.

Callie Evergreen: 13:39

That's interesting to have that balance. You know, both are very creative outlets, of course, but also like I feel like very, very different. And what what's your role in the band?

Kevin Templeton: 13:50

I play guitar in this band. Um, I used to do vocals and in a couple other different bands. Um, but uh yeah, it's nice, nice just to actually all of us we all uh do backup vocals. Our vocalist, I mean, he sounds like the devil, he's the nicest guy to every um I love I love telling people about the fact I'm in a death metal band because then they're like scared, like, well, what do we expect? And then you just see a bunch of goofy guys up on stage just to having a very good time. So um I I love it. But uh yeah, I played bass in a death metal band, I've played in punk rock bands. I moved to Austin, Texas for a year uh before opening up Barley Mash, and it was in two bands out there.

Callie Evergreen: 14:31

So um That's awesome.

Kevin Templeton: 14:33

People ask, how do you find the time? It's it's like you have to make the time for that. Um, it would be much easier to to sleep in and not go to band practice late at night, but uh um it's one of the best feelings after when you when you get to be with your bros and scream a little bit. It's kind of cool. Yeah.

Sam Danley: 14:51

Yeah, it's interesting too that you talked about how like you don't know how good of a chef you would be, how good you'd be in the other realms of your life if you didn't have this outlet. Because I was gonna ask, like, you know, the time commitment is there, but how do you just kind of all balance it and prioritize it in your mind? But it seems like these two creative pursuits actually kind of complement each other in your life really nicely. And those are not, you know, just the the uh barley mash and being in the band are not the only uh hats that you wear. So talk to us a little bit about Asta Maniana, the restaurant you opened last year, right?

Kevin Templeton: 15:28

Yep. So that's our newest concept. It's called Asta Magnana Cantina, and we're down on fifth and K, really close to the baseball field. Beautiful, beautiful Latino kind of concept. And I think with that one, me and my partners, we were all born and raised in San Diego, and so you always have the the Latino in your blood, uh, and just that culture and the food scene. So um we thought it was really, really important to open up a concept that's absolutely it's beautiful, stunning when you walk in, but it's not like unaffordable. It's it's still affordable, um, a good place to come have food. And it, you know, we wanted to really preface on cantina. Uh we didn't want to be, you know, a sit-down, beautiful restaurant. I mean, we are, but we want people to come in, rip some shots at tequila before the before the game, have a good time. Um and uh yeah, it's it's been a it's it's been a journey for sure. We've changed the menu quite a few times, uh, all for the better. I have a actually a pretty cool little chef Andreas down there that's uh that's adding uh quite a few things on on the menu now that are his personally. So um yeah, it's been a fun concept for sure.

Sam Danley: 16:37

Talk to us a bit about that menu evolution. What's changed? What and what maybe drove or pushed you guys to make those adjustments over the past year? So that's well said.

Kevin Templeton: 16:49

Um I think in the beginning I went a little too authentic, um, which uh I love. I mean, um I ran a South American uh style restaurant and all that at Andes. So any like Latino cuisine I just absolutely love. And I think I just kind of pushed it a little too much in the beginning. And so um, you know, people from the Midwest or something coming out on a convention or or coming in uh on vacation were just maybe like, hmm, I don't know what a chillaquiles is or or um agua chile or anything like that. Sorry, it's my Midwest accent right there. Um so we just kind of started learning back and then just realizing, remembering we're in San Diego, and I mean it's a it's an awesome Mexican food culture, but it's we're we're taco shops where you know we're awesome fish tacos, uh, we're that kind of style. And so um, I think it has been an evolution and it's a little more applicable to everybody, and uh I mean it's still darn good, and we have some crazy spicy sauces that'll burn your eyes and um and some more subtle flavors too. So it is it's yeah, evolution's a good word.

Callie Evergreen: 17:59

You know, I'm curious what felt different about you know opening and launching a new restaurant, Asta Magnana, in 2024 versus when you opened Barley Mash, just kind of zooming out the broader restaurant scene.

Kevin Templeton: 18:15

I think um, I mean that's a tough question. I think the that those 2012 era was was pretty strong, like we talked about. People were out and about a little bit more. Um, but we we just always wanted to expand. Uh we have uh yeah, we have Asta Maniana, we have a bought a restaurant called the Smoking Gun as well, um, and eight years ago. And so just trying to expand. We've always been kind of like bar and food people, um, and just trying to find different different realms and things that we would like um to challenge ourselves. So that I think that was the main reason why. And then we're just downtown people. So we have yeah, we have Astomaniana, Barley Mash, Smoking Gun, and our spill the beans in Gas Lamp is our original one, and we'll talk about that. We have five uh of those, they're coffee bagel concepts. So um, so yeah, we we have a a love for downtown for sure. It's a challenge. Uh definitely parking and all those things that are going on right now, traffic, um, it's definitely making for a challenge, but but you know, we have a good support system and we're just trying to promote, get more people down to beautiful San Diego.

Callie Evergreen: 19:28

Hmm. You know, operating these different kinds of concepts, is there like a through line that kind of connects them all together? Or do you have maybe similar like sourcing practices, or is there some sort of like sustainability through line? What would you say kind of you know connects them all?

Kevin Templeton: 19:47

Definitely um we use the same, so specialty produce is a great example. That's a produce company I've used for so what are we on 20, 25, so 25, 26 years. Um, and they're local owned and operated. Um, you know, we tried to get as we're trying at least 75, 80, 80% organic in what we get from them. Um I have San Diego Seafood, locally owned and operated. They just bought Catalina offshore, and um, I just went and hung out with with Tanner, uh, the main guy, and we're just talking about how long we've known each other. Uh I use Central Meats, which is a 105-year-old uh locally owned operated meat company. Um, so yeah, kind of in sustainably sourcing everything, but then uh just knowing that we're gonna get that same kind of quality uh throughout every single restaurant. Um and then I mean same with our liquor purveyors too. We we're all friends, which is kind of cool. It's it's there's a business side of it, but it's also like these guys are my friends. Like I want to hang out with them too. And I really think that makes a relationship very, very strong, as opposed to what's your best deal? This, this, this. It's no like literally last Monday I went into my meat company, my seafood company, my produce company just to go hang out and talk to them. Um, so I think that kind of really bonds us all together throughout all the restaurants, um, but it's also just important, I think.

Callie Evergreen: 21:13

Would you ever consider expanding outside of San Diego? Or are you pretty like laser focused on that community?

Kevin Templeton: 21:21

I would love to. I think after opening up multiple restaurants in a year, um, I'm okay with taking a little step back and and then taking a deep breath right now. But uh, I mean they're yeah, always always looking for something something new. It's just a challenging environment. I'm sure we'll go down that road right now. People just aren't spending money, they're not coming out as uh nearly as much as as they used to. So those are those ways where we have to adapt and figure, figure new things out to to get people out to come come have a good time. But uh always open to expanding. Um but uh yeah, taking a little break wouldn't wouldn't be a bad thing right now.

Sam Danley: 22:01

You know, you talked about like the just kind of the current climate, the current environment out there with spending, just kind of the macro factors. Obviously, restaurants, the restaurant industry is not immune from that. Um, I'm curious, just looking across your portfolio, if maybe you see some of those like macro things manifesting differently, like at a coffee shop versus a sit-down restaurant or you know, a bar-heavy concept. Is there anything you've seen that kind of is an indicator of maybe what's happening out there? Uh, just kind of uh how it's manifesting across this empire you're building in San Diego. That's well said. Uh absolutely.

Kevin Templeton: 22:43

People aren't drinking like they used to. Um, you know, and then even at Barley Mash, we had a DJ every single night, nightclub lying out the door, and we're seeing, I mean, it's still like one of the busiest places downtown, but but we're not seeing that nightlife as much as it used to be. Um, people aren't drinking. We kind of brought up the whole this Ozempic thing that's making, I mean, how many million people are are on that right now, and they're they're not eating, they're not drinking, so that that affects us pretty good. Um, but then yeah, coffee, coffee seems to be on an uptake. Uh, I think the younger generation, they're not drinking alcohol as much, maybe, maybe smoking pot and drinking coffee more. Um, so I think that was our our good timing on the sense of opening up our our coffee bagel concepts, uh, because we kind of didn't know what we're doing. We're we're bar people, um, but but I think we did a good job. We got five of them now, and uh, yeah, they're all rocking.

Callie Evergreen: 23:43

Can you just talk about a little bit like opening one location to then boom, you have like five? Like, how did you kind of figure out like, okay, proof of concept, this is gonna work in you know, these locations as well as these locations, and figuring out, you know, at maybe like the real estate side of things, like the knowing the good places to go.

Kevin Templeton: 24:04

I think you can definitely research that, but sometimes you just never know on the locations or the demographic that you're gonna get. But uh so we so we open up Smoking Gun, and uh that whole concept, we wanted to be like a 70s, 80s bar, so got Padre's colors, just a really fun place with awesome food. Um we have a Waegu double cheeseburger that my chef there uh makes it as out of control. Um, but uh, you know, once again, scratch made food, but just like your neighborhood bar, and it's just up the street from Barley Mash. And so that location, we had another um area in there where one of my partners he always wanted a coffee bagel concept. And so I was like, okay. I actually didn't think that was gonna be a huge hit, but it was right when the coffee is booming, and of course, we decided me and my pastry chef to decide to make our own uh bagels from scratch every single day. Um, and so now we actually built a bakery down below Smoking Gun. So that's our commissary basically for all of my um coffee bagel concepts. And so yeah, we gas lamp was the original one, and then we opened up uh Seaport Village, and that's that's a monster, um beautiful location, tiny, tiny, tiniest little kitchen, but but that place just rocks. Um and then Mission Valley was our third one, and then Pacific Beach is one of our newer ones, and then Ocean Beach is our newest one. So um PB and OB expanded pretty quick, but uh we had Gas Lamp, Seaport, and Mission Valley for quite a few years before that.

Sam Danley: 25:43

I love that you guys are making the bagels and that you have the kind of commissary hub and spoke model and underneath one of the other concepts. Um and you know, bagels are a pretty specific craft. A lot of people take their bagels very seriously. Uh, what was the process like for you developing your own bagel recipe? And maybe like how does it compare to that like traditional New York, like East Coast style bagel? Very, very good question.

Kevin Templeton: 26:12

So the biggest thing I didn't want to do, and like I said, I have to give props to my my pastry chef Karina. Um, so before we even had the concept, uh, we knew what we're gonna do, and so we were just trying different recipes, and I really, really, really did not want to even have people think that we're an East Coast bagel because you know how brutal East Coasters can be with their bagels and all that, and I mean it in the best way. Um, so I wanted to make make something a little lighter. Um, it's uh not sweeter, it's just a little bit lighter, and the toppings are a little bit unique in that sense. So we call them Cali-style bagels. Um, I think there was Brooklyn bagels that was opened down the street when we open up gas lamp, and uh, and I remember just reading the reviews of anybody from New York or all they're just being like, that ain't no Brooklyn bagel, blah blah, just ripping apart. So it was very, very like cautious on that side. But I've had East Coasters come say it was one of the best bagels they've ever had. Um, I think what kind of separates us apart is yeah, the little lighter, and then we do the traditional toppings, but just something a little different. Like uh probably one of our biggest ones is a serrano habanero jack uh cheese bagel, and uh that's all on the top. Obviously, everything's are good. Um, and then we make our own cream cheeses and mix up a bunch of different unique flavors, so it's it's familiar, but just just different enough. And then our breakfast sandos are amazing too. So good place to come get a really, really good bagel and uh um and some darn good coffee for sure.

Sam Danley: 27:49

I love it. Uh so you know, one uh final hat I guess you wear that we I think we may have mentioned it earlier, but we haven't really dug into it yet. And I want to hear a bit about this too, is that you also are a teacher. You teach at uh community college. Tell us a little bit about that. What it's like, what's it what is it like being on the other side of the table and like mentoring the next generation of chefs now?

Kevin Templeton: 28:14

I love it. Um, I think it kind of also I I taught a little bit before COVID, and then you know, we just got too busy and then COVID happened, and I saw this whole industry just falling apart. A lot of my chef friends getting out of the industry, everybody leaving, couldn't find cooks or anything like that. And and so I just really, really wanted to give back and just try to spark some influence in the in the younger generation of chefs, and so um that's genuinely I I really have a good time with it. Um school starts next week, and I'm so unprepared right now. But but um yeah, I mean, so I started right after COVID, and I mean our the classes were just a few students. Uh we all had to wear masks and everything, and then come whatever four or five years ago later, uh we have actually record um amounts of students signing up and all that. So um, and I actually, yeah, quite a few of them all work at some of my restaurants. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, it's super, super cool. Actually, one of my students, she's my sous chef at Smoking Gun. Um, and so it is just so cool. It's neat to influence, and I just have such a good time there. Uh, I really do. It's kind of another escape uh as like stressful as teaching can be. Um, I love it. I get excited to go and just work with a bunch of young students and and just really have a good time and hopefully influence them.

Callie Evergreen: 29:40

I'm curious, you know, for like chefs that have been in the industry for a while now who maybe aren't as in touch with the newer, younger generation of chefs, you know, what would they maybe be surprised to learn that these younger chefs in school are, you know, thinking about or how. They're approaching, you know, the culinary world in general.

Kevin Templeton: 30:03

That's a good question. I'd say, so kind of scaling back a little bit, there's a certain age gap of, and I won't go into too much detail, of certain students that just didn't want to put in the grind and all that. I mean, we could talk all day about the hard, the crazy things that I've had when I was an intern and all that stuff. So there was a little generation where they you know they didn't they wanted the title, just didn't want to work that hard for it. And this is this is an industry where you're not making money. Um, you know, you're burning yourself, you're uh working just crazy hours, all that. Um, but I I am seeing this younger, you know, 19, 20, 21 year 21-year-olds actually like ready to to do this. So it's it's been kind of cool to see. Like they they got some some tough skin and they and they want to get down and dirty. So um I like that. The industry has changed quite a bit over the million years I've been doing it, but uh um, but I like to see the some little more like hardcore chefs coming out of it now.

Sam Danley: 31:08

What what do you think if you had like maybe one piece of advice or word of word of wisdom, like what do you think the next generation of chefs needs to hear right now, uh if they're kind of preparing themselves for the reality of a career in the culinary world in 2025 or the immediate future?

Kevin Templeton: 31:27

I think the the biggest one, and and I'm sure every chef will say that is it's it's passion. It has to be a passion. You're not gonna make money for a long time in this industry. Um, and you're gonna work crazy hours, you're gonna do all that. So it just like for me, I just have always been passionate about I love creating food. I love putting smiles on people's faces. Like that's the bottom line of why I've I've done this and why I continue to do this, um, is just making people smile through food. Um that's that's my love language for sure, is uh is feeding. Um but yeah, I mean just it has to be a passion and it's uh you know it's not easy, but I think that's the best part of it. You can't just float through there. I mean, but uh there's so many different routes, and and people are obviously chefs are just getting more and more creative, the technology is just getting out of control. That's actually a fun part with me teaching. Um, I'm still a caveman when I teach, so I have there's other uh uh chef instructors that are working with just uh the coolest molecular gastronomy, all these different ovens and all that, and I I'm just too scared to go there. So I'm I'm old school burners and knives and ovens, but uh um yeah that I mean the technology and the the ability to get product now is I mean way better than it used to be. Um you know, all the organics of everything and just uh um the the health side of it, it's it's way more advanced than than when I was younger for sure.

Callie Evergreen: 33:01

Hmm. Well, you know, starting to kind of wrap things up a little bit here, I know you mentioned that you're you know kind of stepping back and taking a break from so much expansion and growth in terms of like new restaurants go. But what you know, what does the horizon look like for you in the next year to to two years here? What's gonna be like your your priorities, your focus?

Kevin Templeton: 33:26

I think once again, I mean, the focusing on all the restaurants, I mean Barley Mash, that's that's my baby from from day one. Um and just just expanding and growing with my crew. Um, I have an amazing executive sous chef there. Um, most of the time she's actually kicking me out of the kitchen now. She's like, can you please just go away? Um smoking gun. I have an awesome chef there. I have a good crew everywhere. So just really taking not a step back, but just taking a push forward on how do we just keep going. And once again, it's just it's a really hard environment. It's a really hard environment for the culinary field or for the restaurant industry. So try trying to find ways to get people to come out more, have a good time, and just think of what the next step is on that one. So I think that that's gonna be my main focus for sure for the next couple years.

Sam Danley: 34:19

And uh lastly, Kevin, for any of our listeners out there who want to uh stay up to date with you and what you have going on, or uh any of the concepts in this culinary empire you've got, uh, how can they do so? Is there good social media or websites you would direct folks to?

Kevin Templeton: 34:38

Yeah, I think that you know I'm actually terrible with social media, but uh um but we have a um Barley Mesh account, we have a smoking gun account, uh our spill the beans, uh you can look up all those. I mean, that's you know, that younger generation, that whole thing is just crazy. People love to show off videos and and all that. So um, once again, me being a caveman, uh, more people know more about social media than I can, but uh, but we're on every single one of those handles. Um, but uh you can go to all our websites, check it out, and then uh yeah, just have to how do how do we get it? We should get a bunch of signatures to try and get me on top chef, huh? Yeah, there we go.

Callie Evergreen: 35:19

Well, thank you so much for for sharing your story and part of your journey, uh, Kevin, and thank you to our listeners out there. Stay tuned for more.

Kevin Templeton: 35:28

Thank you so much.