Flavors Unknown

Kelly English – The Future in Multi-disciplinary Work

Kelly English Second Line Memphis

Today’s guest is Chef Kelly English from Restaurant Iris and Second Line Memphis. He’s the chef and owner of these two acclaimed Memphis restaurants, as well as the new fast-casual concept Fino’s, refreshing the concept of an historic local favorite. In this episode, he talks about the New Orlean’s flavors that he’s carried from his hometown into his profession, how various cultural influences have made their mark on the regional cuisine, and what inspires his menus today.

What you'll learn with chef Kelly English

Kelly English's Family influences in New Orleans (3:03)
Where Spanish food and Louisiana style cooking meet (4:17)
Kelly English mentions one key difference between European and American restaurants (7:31)
The major influences of Louisiana cooking (7:57)
A more flavorful way to understand local history (11:55)
Kelly English explains why the future of the industry will depend upon more collaboration (16:51)
A global tour of culinary flavors and processes (20:31)
An example of industry collaboration (22:56)
How thinking outside of the box is keeping people employed (24:54)
Kelly English’s creative process (26:51)
Transitioning from the need to impress to a desire for meaning (28:31)
The diversity of the Memphis restaurant scene (31:53)
Kelly English's rules for making roux and the perfect gumbo (33:37)
A restaurant tour of the best of Memphis (37:22)
Top condiments and spices, and an ode to hot sauce (40:33)
Series of rapid-fire questions.
Link to the podcast episode on Apple Podcast

Links to other episodes in Tennessee

Conversation with chef Levon Wallace from Fatbelly Pretzels in Nashville

Conversation with chef Matt Bolus from the 404 Kitchen in Nashville

Links to most downloaded episodes (click on any picture to listen to the episode)

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New Orleans is such a unique and special food town, it's easy when you're growing up in a place like that to kind of take it for granted.

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Almost universally, the food that has lasted the test of time, it's not the food of the kings and queens, it’s the food of the peasants. Outside just a couple of cultures, we eat elevated versions of peasant food.

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I think that the future is collaborative and less precious than the past has been. People are starving for an experience, and the more we can collaboratively pack into an experience, the more we can all get out of the same basket.

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I think that people know about 10 restaurants here in Memphis when they come here, but it's the ones that you don't know about that will really knock your socks off.

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