“Lord. We thank You for the food we are about to receive, and we pray that You will bless the hand that planted, picked, procured, prepared, and placed this food before us. Amen (The Vincent Hall upgrade of traditional Black household meal blessings)
My father was one of the first five Black drivers to be hired by Kroger Foods in Dallas. It was a landmark accomplishment. Daddy was an active advocate for trade unionism and of Teamsters Local 745. He always told me “join the union son, and you’ll go places!”
Some 25 years later, I found myself in Washington D.C.’s K Street area, famous for being the nation’s capital for lobbyists and politicos. I was a lobbying representative of the Communication Workers of America 6215. The highlights of that trip were my three consecutive trips to an upscale Soul Food restaurant called Georgia Brown’s.
Class and collard greens in the same venue. My Lawd!
So when I attended a media event recently for Kitchen + Kocktails in Dallas, I was prepared to be an objective critic, not just parrot or rubber stamp their press clippings.
It was absolutely the best food and atmosphere that anyone could imagine.
Better yet, the owner is socially conscious, compassionate about his employees, and concentrated on building a legacy in the restaurant industry. As a former restaurant owner, I was astonished. The food and drinks surpassed my expectations, but the capstone was yet to be set.
Kelley introduced us to his staff. They were mostly Black, and I am 100% Black, so I read “us” well. He thanked them for his success, and it was apparent to me that every one of them, Black, Brown and White were pleased to work for this young visionary who dreams of creating an empire.
Here is a snippet of his bio.
‘Kevin Kelley is an entrepreneur involved in the acquisition, ownership, and development of legal, food, beverage, and entertainment concepts. This includes the past and present acquisition and development of commercial properties across the United States, including properties in Texas, Arkansas, and Illinois.
Kevin Kelley is also the named partner with the wrongful death, serious injury, and business litigation law firm, the Kelley Law Firm, P.C. Kelley is responsible for the representation of individuals internationally who have been seriously injured or lost a loved one due to the actions of others.
Kelley owns Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley, a comfort food concept located in Dallas, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois. A Washington, DC, location is scheduled to open in June 2023.
In addition, Kelley has purchased what will become a 37,000 sq. ft Houston, Texas, development to house four (4) food, beverage, and/or entertainment concepts set to open in the first quarter of 2024.
With average unit revenues, received and expected, over $10M per location, the Kitchen + Kocktails brand is stable and moving forward with plans to scale the concept.”
The etymology and concept of “comfort food” have always baffled me. So here is a definition.
“Comfort food usually is a dish that’s high-carb, high-sugar, or high in fatty acids—think french fries, cheeseburgers, ice cream, candy, and chocolate. Even foods that are objectively healthy, like salmon, tuna, and nuts, can be comfort foods due to their high fatty acid levels.”
But in the usual Black tradition of shaping life and culture, Kelley has made his chefs comfortable crafting “comfort food” in the soul food tradition. Everything we ate and drank was impeccable. The presentation, the staff, the ambiance! This fine cuisine balances nutritious food with the “Soul of the South.”
Sitting there, I realized that God has a sense of humor. A Black man owns this high-class, quasi-bourgeoise eating establishment adjacent to Dallas’ historic Majestic Theatre. The same venue that my daddy wouldn’t enter because the “coloreds” could only watch movies from the “Crows Nest,” aka the balcony.
The corner where coloreds were discriminated against is now home to a man whose collards are a welcome commodity to diners with discriminating palettes! God got Jokes for real.
Kelley and his “Krew” will open a new location in Washington, D.C. Not as competition but as a complement to the historic Georgia Browns. But you should find comfort in knowing the original is open and available in Dallas.
And may the Lord Bless bless the hand that planted, picked, procured, prepared, and placed this food before us. And Bless Kevin Kelley!
I wish my daddy were here to see this! Congratulations Kevin!
