The second part of my interview generally revolves around aspects of a chef's life that don't directly involve food. Whether I learn about their family ties or choice of movies, one thing is for sure– there's more to subjects like Kyle than a passion for their cuisine.
Read our interview with Kyle Market of Green Tomato Grill, part one.
And now, on to part two . . .
What would you be doing if you weren't in this business?
I majored in geography, with a focus in water resource management in college– so I have no idea. This is the only job I've ever had. For the most part, restaurants suck to work in: it's long hours, low pay, exhausting, and you smell like a fryer when you leave. But some people are just born to do this sort of thing. I'm pretty sure this is what I was meant to do.
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Last movie watched; how was it?
The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, and it was awesome.
Are you superstitious?
I'm not superstitious, but I am very well-prepared for the next earthquake or catastrophe.
What were you up to five years ago?
I was a private chef in Laguna Beach, working from a kitchen with a panoramic view (sigh).
When you're not in the kitchen cooking, what are you doing?
Taking my cattle dog, Molly, out on a walk, or watching Netflix. My girlfriend and I are getting a puppy in a couple of weeks.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Cleveland, which most people from California may not know has an awesome food scene. I came here after college because my brother was living in Laguna Beach. It was not a hard decision to move here.
Last song playing on your radio.
Fitzpleasure by Alt-J.
Hardest lesson you've learned:
Everyone needs to be managed differently. A good business owner doesn't treat staff with a one-size-fits-all approach to training.
Last thing you looked up online:
The weather forecast for Maui. My girlfriend has a ton of vacation time. I work as many hours as I want. Kim doesn't complain, but I take vacation when she plans it. We're really active when on vacation. There's beach time, but we're also gonna drive around the north side this time.
Do you have any additional skills that are non-food related?
I'm pretty good at Ultimate Frisbee.
Where did you attend culinary school, and was there something you learned that you might not have learned so quickly if you had not attended?
I am a culinary dropout. I probably would have had a better set of skills right now if I had stayed, but I was way too arrogant at 19.
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A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.