Kenny's Story & The Eat For Life Program

Kenny Minor is a chef, cookbook author, and educator who is passionate about ensuring at-risk communities have access to healthy, nutritious and culturally appropriate foods.

Chef Kenny brings an exuberant punch of personality to everything he does. Often, you can hear Chef Kenny singing as he goes about his day. In all he does, Chef Kenny believes in expanding the definition of “chef” beyond the traditional terms.

Growing up in the Washington D.C. area, everything Kenny learned about good cooking and the spirit of hospitality came from his grandmother. Raised in the south with 9 children to feed, his grandmother firmly believed that food was an indication of hospitality and the way you showed love for family. 

However, when Kenny found himself 85 pounds overweight from overeating to deal with the emotions tied to growing up without a father, he knew something had to change. There came an ah-ha moment (thanks to Michael Keaton) that left him with the resolve not only to change his eating habits, but to change his life.

Kenny enrolled in culinary school to diversify both his knowledge of and ways to prepare food. Through his education, Chef Kenny developed a new, healthier relationship with food. Gone were large meals of fried foods that were the norm for his family gatherings — and soon the weight came off. 

As a private chef and owner of Chef Kenny Catering in New York City, Kenny delights clients with his unique and nutritious cuisine. Kenny reinvents the bold and soulful flavors reminiscent of his childhood. Built on traditional Southern recipes he learned from his grandmother, he accents these recipes with Southwestern and Asian influences.

In 2010, Chef Kenny realized that long-term discussions about the impact of food choices weren’t happening in communities of color. So, he launched the Eat for Life Project. Through this initiative, Chef Kenny works hands-on with community residents to create healthier lifestyles through a balanced diet and form healthy, sustainable habits.The Eat for Life Project has led to collaborations with Whole Foods Market, Emblem Health, YMCA, Phi Beta Sigma, CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute, University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, and other community organizations committed to fighting childhood obesity. Chef Kenny shares his personal experiences as he demonstrates how anyone can live a richer life thought healthy lifestyle practices.

In his latest cookbook, From My Plate To Yours: Lunch Fix, Chef Kenny highlights healthy, easy-to-make meals that won’t break the bank. The cookbook features over 60 recipes focused on increasing energy, fighting food cravings, clearing out frustrations and improving overall wellness. Each delicious recipe is perfect for life on the go or a plated meal.

Chef Kenny has appeared on The Tamron Hall Show, Food Network’s Chopped, TV One’s Sister Circle, Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family and WJLA’s Good Morning Washington. His food styling has been featured in Hampton's Magazine Restaurants - The Power List and he was named a Top Chef of 2014 by Ebony magazine.

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