The Downtown 157- Kitchen Combine

This week on The Downtown, we talk to the people behind Kitchen Combine, Jerrod and Ray. We also talk to the chef for February, Chef Carl, along with this month’s chef, Constance with Eatie’s. We also have local music from Cherry Mantis with “Paradise” and Ladi with "Bath Salts feat Cure for Paranoia."

Episode Transcript

(00:24):
Welcome to the Downtown, brought toyou by Arlington Citizen Media. I am
Roady John, and today we talkto the people behind Kitchen Combine, Gerard
and Ray. We also talked tothe chef for February, which is Chef
Carl, along with this month ChefConstance with Eadies. This is such a
fantastic new restaurant that we have inSouth Harlington, and the concept is even

(00:44):
better. You'll find out obviously inthis interview, but I highly recommend everybody.
We're putting this one out early sothat you have three days at least
to go check out Constance with Eadiesover at Kitchen Combine, and then next
month you obviously we're going to hearwhat the menu's gonna look like. With
Chef Carl, You're going to wantto drool over yourself because the food sounds

(01:06):
so amazing. So he starts Februaryfirst, obviously Constances right now until the
end of January, and so definitelycheck out both of them. Very different
styles but absolutely amazing food. Sodefinitely go check out Kitchen Comma. We
also have local music with Cherry Mantisin their song Paradise. But first here's

(01:26):
Lottie with bas salts featuring a curefor paranoia. Look okay, little black
boyd them blacked out. I'm backoutside on play the background a map down
on the My moves and crack downthe craft out side of the box.

(01:47):
The mac bound the cheese, Isell and leave. They left out and
see my mess round and see thelife is a breech to cash cat and
branched down them over the moon.They got to watch the side turn like
wat of the movie. I gotthe whole crew popping, and I got
him. Sociallequity rubs on the jimmyfor anybody to miss with me meaning not
protected the number respected sufficiently so whereeverybody president was here selected meticulously. Ain't
nobody washing wishing out here walking withme? Everybody play a major party.

(02:08):
This, you're hardly missing, walkingcossion. If you ever see the kid
crossing on small talkers, they don'tnever leave the big pockets. Ain't nobody
wash your wish it out here walkingwith me? Everybody playing Marjory party,
This, you're hardly missing walka cossion. If you ever see the kid crossing
on small talkers, they don't everleave the big preface. Just touch basing

(02:32):
the two on foot feelings being paranoidbecause I found that cure. They ain't
buzzing. Maybe they think my southto pure my arms bad. I got
the bullets knocket that my though.I'm so flawed, meaning for respective neck,
I'm so raw, but I'm clearlythat my gout I checked getting salty,
working in my house, living checkedthe check. I ain't even trying
to reflect the text, but I'mjust trying to taste the best success.
The only montle ain't no loto forI gotta it is getting grinding on the

(02:55):
court. I gotta take the textand pet it on a wave, trying
to save myself health, investing wealth, bath, self baths. And I'm
impressed as health. You don't feelit, man, I feel myself.
Myself, am I myself, I'mI'm myself, I'm myself, I am

(03:20):
myself, I'm myself. I amhere at kitchen combine, and I am
here with a table full of gentlemen. Let's also go around say our names.
That way people know their voices,uh, and then we'll go from
there. Gerd Lemons, I'm RayBrian, I'm chef Carl Harris, I'm

(03:40):
cravings going mate, there we go. So for those that don't know,
can you tell us a little bitabout what Kitchen Combine is to start?
So, Kitchen Combine is, we'rea revolving restaurant where we partner with local
shifts and we feature each shift adifferent shift per month, and in doing

(04:03):
so, we partner with them andallow our staff runs front of house and
the chef will run uh the kitchen. And in that partnership we just uh.
The whole concept is geared toward helpingthe chef, assisting the chef in
whatever next the next chapter would befor him, right in addition to broadening

(04:23):
the brand of the specific chef.And so it's a mutual partnership where we
kind of both kind of uh leanon, depend on and benefit from both
from one another. Right now,where did the concept come from? And
it was really born out of theexperience that we had trying to get into

(04:46):
the restaurant industry. We poured everythinginto it, a lot of money,
a lot of time, blood,sweat, tears, and people who run
restaurants do that every day, andU it doesn't always end well, right
and don't the story doesn't last aslong as they would have voked and we

(05:06):
weren't exempt to any of those challenges. Uh. And as we sat with
that harsh reality for ourselves, wewere trying to figure out, how do
we use what we have, usethe space, use all of our experience
and expertise and connections. We haveto just do more for not just for
ourselves, but for other people righttoo. And as we met veterans in

(05:28):
the industry, we realized that there'sa big gap in the opportunity to exist
if you want to do well inright in the industry. And we're trying
to build a kitchen common and helpclose that. That's awesome. Now,
let's go a little more into yourbackground. What restaurant did y'all or I
guess what is your experience in theindustry. Yeah, it's fairly limited.
We had a we had a aseafood restaurant. We started here and I'll

(05:55):
let mister Lemon share. It wasgoing from a customer's perspective, really really
well, right, perceived, reallywell, overwhelmed every day with with demand.
But there's always underneath the hood whenyou look. It doesn't necessarily translate
to our personal health, to ourrelationships, to our financial health. It's

(06:18):
just there's there's so much that gointo it that most people don't see just
go out to you you know,yeah, and and uh, you know,
there are obviously there are a fewother issues. We were franchised,
so we there were opposing visions andand uh, it just it became mutually

(06:43):
beneficial that we that we all kindof a separate Well how did you guys
land on this location here, becauseyou guys are perfect on the border of
North Mansfield in South Arlington. Ithink a lot of people in Arlington,
unfortunately, especially the North Arlington peoplekind of scooped this into the Mansfield area
and it's like, you know,they're yes, they're two separate cities,

(07:03):
but they can all you know,co mingle together. How did you guys
land on this location? Yeah,I mean, unfortunately, we've got the
best realtor on the planet and youknow, our household and she she was
able to secure this byfor us.But we've been embraced by both cities,
right has been fantastic Arlington and theChambers of Commerce and in the city Mansfield

(07:24):
h Mansfield Business Alliance and and themayor himself has been super super supportive of
what we're doing. Now I don'tthink this is possible without both cities really
buying into what we're doing here,right of course. You know, Now,
how's the response been from the communitythis month, cause it's this,
this was your first month fully open, right yeah, okay, Yeah,
it's been fantastic. Good. I'mlike we're able saying, you know,

(07:46):
uh, the Mansfield community really cameand and they embraced us both with our
previous endeavor and now, uh someof them are the same folks, but
some of them are not nice,and so it's been a it's it's been
a really good relationship that's been developeda lot of new relationships. And even
though Mansfield is a fairly large place, right, it has a real small

(08:11):
town way of doing business, andthe relationships are genuine and they really come
and they really want to patronize theirtheir their business and it's a it's a
really authentic building process. And sowe we've really enjoyed that. It's they
they've really embraced them. Ye,I've noticed about Mansfield as that, yeah

(08:33):
they have the change and everything,but the Mama pop stuff they will really
get behind and they help crowd thatthing out all the time. So that's
wonderful that you're feeling that as well. Over here now as recording, this
is going to be the end ofJanuary when you helped Chef Constance with her
place eaties her yeah, eaties.So now that we have the other chef

(08:54):
here, tell us about February,what can people look forward to in February?
Oh? Man, February is themonth of love? Right. So,
Uh, the one thing that Ilove is a good brunch. Hey
go, I think everybody loves agood brunch, so true. So that
is something that we're going to bringand not just on Saturday or Sunday.
They're gonna go Wednesday through Sunday.I like that. And some people used
to regular breakfast in the morning.We're gonna give you a brunch at seven

(09:16):
am. Ooh. As soon asyou come in, you can have all
your favorites, all the indulgence thatyou need to get you through the day.
We'll be right there at your fingertips. So we're excited about providing that
experience. Yeah, in this locationfor this community, you know, next
month, right, Well, tellus your background. What is your background
in? Uh, the culinary industry? Great? Alright, So so my

(09:39):
background I've been uh cooking roughly sinceabout two thousand ten. Wow, uh
so off and on. I usedto work in the insurance industry and you
know have a passion about you know, good food and wanting to just eat
good. You know, who doesn'twanna do that, It doesn't wanna beat
good food. So that's just beensomething that's really been uh a pleasure for

(10:00):
So I thought, you know,why not try my hand at that.
You know, I could cook relativelywell. So I just started to really
just test it out, you know. I tested it out in a couple
of small intimate spaces with friends andfamily that went overwhel and then we started
to kind of branch out from theevents that they threw. A couple of
people say hey, well would youlike to you know, ok to my
event. So then it started tokind of go from there organically, you

(10:24):
know. And so we let itjust flow day by day, event by
event. And I was still workinga full time job, so you know
it was kind of you know,touch and up. Then came around twenty
eighteen. We had started to havealready a clientele built up. People started
to you know, ask for usspecifically. Item started to kind of get
a little popular then at that time, you know, just decided let's just

(10:46):
take the plunge. Hey, youknow sometimes yeah, sometimes you do.
You gotta jump. You know.I was very unfulfilled in the you know,
corporate life. You know, whenyou're creative, you know, you
want to get your vision out there. You're gonna do something that stim emulates
you and something you're passionate about,you know. So right now I was
able to do that, and fortunatelyit was successful. You know, it

(11:09):
paid the bills, right, SoI think that's what kind of segued through
a few years ups and downs.You know, then the pandemic hit.
Yeah, that was tough. Socatering during the pandemic, you know,
that's zero, right because nobody's havingevents, Yeah, exactly. So that
also caused us to evolve again.So we shifted. Right then, we
started going into the private dining area. So you know, people couldn't get

(11:31):
out and go to restaurants. Soat that point, we brought the restaurant
to them. That's awesome. Sowhen we started to you know, do
that, and I was partnering withmy wife and she created an event that's
called the Dorsey Group, and theyhave like a big tents, ornate,
decorated inside. So it's almost likeyour private little restaurant in your backyard did
we bring to you. So it'sa whole type of thing, right,
So her brain is amazing and itreally just created that little brain child for

(11:54):
us, and that pushed me toelevate. So at that point it was
no longer just doing the tip ofgold catering food. Right. We started
to elevate. The cuisine started toget better. I wanted to bring fine
dining the home now, right,And after a couple of years of you
know, tuning my own skills,I thought it was you know, a
great segue right now moving forward thatcontinue, business continued, We grew a

(12:16):
little bit more, we progressed alittle bit more, but we hit a
plateau. So, as Ray wassaying, you know, there's there's points
in your life in the culinary industrywhere you kind of just hit a roadblock,
right you either you know, gotto take the next step or you
got to pivot to something else.Right, So that next step up required
a lot of capital, right,and getting into a brick and mortar is
something that you know is not aneasy feet and as you know, you

(12:39):
know restaurants are obviously some of thehardest things to manage, and you know,
they don't even see profit for thefirst year or so, you know,
so yeah, exactly. So youknow, it was hard for me
to balance what I had going onat home, trying to you know,
pay all the home bills, thennow create another bill on top of that,
and then having to make the incometo to take care of that.

(13:00):
So people just kept tagging me like, hey, you heard about kitchen combine.
You know this is a it's acool thing coming, right, And
then I'm actually friends with Constance.Oh right, so she's like, I'm
doing I'm doing kitchen combine next month. Have you heard of this? I
was like, I don't know whatthat is. Tell me about it,
right, So she kind of giveme the whole little PEO file. He
gave her the rundown of what thePowerPoint was, and I was like,
man, that sounds interesting. Theconcept is really cool, you know.

(13:22):
And I you know, acquired aSioux chef that's been working well with me,
and he's brought a little bit ofa freedom to me. So now
I feel like I can I gota supporting cast, right, right,
You're only as good as as thepeople around you. So right, so
you wanna make sure you have thebest people. And now that I feel
confident in that, I said,you know what, let's let's stick our
foot in the water. Let's seeif we can operate a restaurant. Yeah,

(13:43):
you know, And when Ray touchedyou know, base with me and
gave me the rundown. And We'renot just here to just give you this
window, right, We're gonna supportyou. We're gonna help you after that's
we're going to give you the platformto springboard you into what your vision is
right and to help you do that. And knowing all the talents and resources
that they have in house, Iwas like, man, this is a

(14:03):
no brainer, right. It almostseem too good to be true, right,
And so you know, I Ireally kind of put it the the
litmus test of of what I coulddo with this. And I think that
once we talked about it, anduh, you know, we had a
couple of ideas and things kind ofshifted and changed, and think we just
landed on the right thing. Yeah, you know, And I feel like
it's gonna be an amazing journey nextmonth and I'm so looking for it.

(14:26):
Uh, you know, we're alreadygetting some traction. Oh yeah, uh,
I, I know. We puta few things out on social media
and it's already you know, garneringa lot of response. Uh. You
know, I even had some otherpeople I haven't even told you yet.
Uh, somebody from the radio stationeven reached out ay, So you know
there's people that want to already crosspromote SA And I just feel like,
man, when things line up thatway, it's the right time, in

(14:46):
the right place, with the rightpeople. Man, it just feels like
it's ordained. Yeah, you know, and so uh, I get that
little chill down my back. It'sit's like, you know, when it's
right, it's right right, andI and I feel like it's right,
and I'm that's I'm so excited aboutit. I can't wait to you know,
put up the pictures and stuff thatwe did. Then the photo shoot
yesterday. He makes a really niceitem. This is gonna be crazy.

(15:07):
I think the city's gonna really enjoyit. You know, we need something
like that. Here's something that's goingto be really creative, you know,
really taste forward also give you greatpresentation. You know, you eat with
your eyes right, you want thefull experience, and that's what we provide.
So at Cravings, we strive toencapsulate all of that. Right,
we want to give you the fullexperience of what a craving really is.

(15:28):
Right, you wake up in themiddle of the night, I want,
you know, fringe toast. Okay, what's the most decadent way you could
have that that you could dream up? Let's do that? You know,
why why not? Why not?You know, why hold back? If
you're gonna do it, let's doit. So that's something that we want
to put forward and give everybody thatexperience, you know. And that's why
we picked the name Cravings, becausewe felt that that's a strong, you

(15:50):
know, moving thing that people don'treally get to have at all times.
We want to give you that right, We want to give you that indulgence.
We want to give you that thingthat makes you happy. Right,
how's gonna be taking that name?That's ridiculous. I don't know. I'm
so glad we got it. Imean, since we got it, there's
been a couple of people that triedto like pin Travel, but you know,

(16:11):
we we we are owning that,you know, that is our brand,
you know, and we've been runningwith that ever since, and so
I hope I didn't get too longwinded, but it's a podcast. Yeah,
I think that's kind of in thenutshell of my journey so far.
You know, I've worked in acouple of restaurants, you know, from
some in Holland Park to you knowsome here on Forward. So been on
high end or been on low end, you know, And I just love

(16:33):
the whole concept of being able tobring something for my brain and create it
right and then make it manifests rightin front of you, man. And
I always tell my shit like,man, it's a superpower man. You
know, if you can pull somethingyou can think of and being executed to
that caliber to where it mimixed exactlythe vision in your head and then people
enjoy it. Man, that's that'sgot to be something special. So why

(16:55):
why did not share that with themost people we can? And I feel
like this is a great vessel andto let us do that, because,
like I said, in catering andprivate chef work, people either don't want
to you know, book us tocome in and pay three hundred fo hundred
bucks you know for a meal toprivate work, or you know, book
one hundred people to do a cateringjob, right, but they want to
come in and taste the food andget the experience. So here, you

(17:18):
know, we can do it oneoff, you know, and that gives
a lot of customers that have beenwilling to try our food, people that
have been following us and supporting us, an opportunity to maybe come back after
they admit they experience I'm want totry that put it again, right,
or some people that have just beenclamoring to get their hands on it,
you know. And I think thatthat's what we're going to capitalize on.
We're going to really just wrangle inthat crowd and then create new fans,

(17:38):
you know, and feel their cravingstoo. Right now, what are some
items people can look forward to younext month? Man got right over the
list a little bit and I waslike, we got some bangers, man.
So obviously I kind of mentioned theFrench toasting, right, that is
a key component on there. Man. I love French French toast and waffles

(18:00):
are like my two favorite breakfast breads, right, So those are the two
things I want to bring to themenu. So we're doing a my new
favorite cookie and I feel a littleashamed for this stuf. I didn't have
bisc Off cookies until probably about liketwo or three years ago, and I
had been missing out right, andI used to get them on the airplane.
I used to give them away.Yeah right, I was like,

(18:21):
I don't want these are crackers likethat? I know what they were right
to me? Mean, they're likeadult teddygrams. Man, That's what my
vision of it was, right,And so that flavor profile was so unique
that I had to incorporate that.Right. So I'm gonna do a bisco
French toast some bisk Off waffle.Uh. This being Texas, you know,
we have to do something southern,right, you know, and why

(18:41):
not do it once if we cando it twice? Right, So we're
doing a pecan pie waffle and apacon pie French toast, and then we're,
you know, back doing that withpeach cobbler. Man, who doesn't
love that? So we have apeach cobbler French toast, peach cobbler waffle.
Uh. And then to make mattersworse, We're going to throw sweet
potato pie in the mix, andwe're gonna make a stuffed sweet potato pie

(19:03):
French coast. Right, we're gonnadefry that thing crusted with biscos, cookies
and pecans and panco and we're justgonna man set off some flavor explosions.
Right, And that's just the tipof the iceberg in right. That's that's
just right, that's before you getto the main tracks. That's the interlude,

(19:23):
right, you know. So whenwe get down to it, we
want to get something hearty but greatexperience. So again taking some of my
experience with fine dining. And thenalso one of the things that we like
to do is just incorporate other elementsinto our cuisine. So we like to
use the comfort food as a vessel, but we like to give you additional
experiences on top of that. Right, But we give it to you something

(19:45):
that's familiar. So the first thingwe want to do is, you know
a lot of people don't think lobstersapproachable. Some people don't, right,
So what preparation I really enjoy islike at t FE Right, if you
ever had a fe man, theflavor explosion, that alone is all.
So we said, okay, howcould we wrap that into breakfast? So
we said, okay, you knowwhat, let's let's give it a little

(20:06):
twist. So we're gonna do alobster at two fay omelet, and then
we're gonna then we're gonna serve thatover some fried grits. So we take
our creamy, smoke goodah grits andwe let it, you know, rock
out in the fridge for a whilewhen it locks up, slice it up,
rebread it, and then we deepfried, okay, and then we
serve our at two fa lobster omeleton top of that. So now not
only do you get flavor combinations,now you get texture, right, So

(20:30):
you have the crunch inside of thecreaminess inside of the lusciousness of the lobster,
the bite from the at two fethe peppers, the onions. Man,
it's a flavor explosion, right.And if that's not enough, it
never really is. This is somethingthat you know, I love to just
pile it on. Man, that'sthat's not that thing like when I can

(20:51):
just give somebody a great experience.And again, all of this it's about
cravings, right, It's about unciousness. It's about decadence, right, why
not? So we did a shortrib hash, right, So we take
braves short ribs, we do redwine, brown sugar and soy. Then
we reduced demi glaze on that.Man, We fried up with some homestyle
fry peppers and onions, and thenwe add a garlic ayoti and we add

(21:15):
that demi gloss on there and puta fried egg on top, and we
just we just let it, letit touch you man, minister two years
soul, right, So that's oneof our items. You can't go wrong
with a good ribi and eggs,of course, you know we do that.
But we saw tee some some buttonmushrooms on the side, so we
love that. You know that savoringthis they do Mammy to go with it,

(21:36):
right, so then they kind ofbalance it out. Oh man,
I'm just overwhelmed with that. Sowhat else do we have? We have
classic shripping grits. Everybody thinks,you know, bush table. You gotta
have shripping grits here in Texas,right, you know, even though we
were border in Louisiana. I knowthey say they do it better, but
I don't know, it's just different. I'm gonna have to throw a handler
ring, man. I've done sometrips to Louisiana for catering, and I've

(21:57):
had grandmothers tried to intro me totheir granddaughters. So I already know,
you know, you know, I'mout the market with that. But when
they're trying to get you in thefamily, you know you did something right,
right, So I think that wasour coatsign right. Louisiana has given
us the hat saft and you knowwe we do it right. So we're
gonna do a great shripping grits andthen again we're gonna double it back with

(22:18):
those smoke goodle grids. So weman, we really pack a lot of
flavor in that bowl. I thinkis that all five entrees that we have
on there, the shripping grits,lobstarter, fee, omelet, short ribs,
the rib oh chicken and waters can'tgo wrong with chicken, you can't.
You know. That is also anotherstaple man, So we had to
keep some familiar faces there, youknow, to get people involved. But

(22:38):
you know, we do our littletwist. We have a good blend of
spices that we had on our chicken. We incorporate some spices from Ethiopia.
One of them is a burbery spice. Okay, so the great chef Marcus
Samuelson up in New York has aplace in Harlem called Red Rooster, and
I went there before and he hadthis frib chickens the key that was amazing,

(23:02):
right, and he's Ethiopian, right, So he introduced some of those
flavors. And then that was aninspiration to me to say, you know
what, I think that you know, Texas could be ready for something like
that, you know, and whynot why not give them a conveyance of
something familiar exactly. We'll give thema new experience, right, a new
flavor profile. Man. And Idon't know if you've ever had urgery spice,

(23:22):
man, it is I've had Ethiopianfood. I know. It was
when they're over here, and thenthey moved down to South Cooper. Yeah
yeah, yeah, I mean andagain you know, those flavors are big,
oh right, and their complex right. So it's not a one not
thing, man, it's a symphonyplay. So you know, they they

(23:42):
do know what they're doing. They'vebeen in those spices. So you know,
we go and we source it fromyou know, authentic Diopian grocers.
So we want the real stuff,you know, we don't want the little
shaking can thing, you know,we want straight from the sword. So
again, those are some things thatwe want to bring and then you know,
we want to double their back andeggs, give them some breakfast potatoes,
some bacon, even some candy baconof course, you know why not,

(24:03):
right remember remember our theme here rightright, we're fulfilling all those crazy
So yeah, that's kind of arundown of our menu. That's kind of
what we have. And I thinkeven with that being as much as it
is, that's really the tip ofthe iceberg. Once we kind of get
our feet under us, we're gonnastart throwing some other things on her.
We've got a couple of other tricksin our bag that we're excited about.

(24:26):
But you know, we want tokind of get our rhythm. Of course,
you know, see what the crowdsare looking like, what they like,
and you know some things may kindof you know, getting changed out.
But uh yeah, we're excited.Man, that was just ready to
just blow the doors off this thing. I'm excited to just hear them,
right. So what do you lookto learn the most this coming month?
So again, man, you know, we've never put our actually foot into

(24:48):
a brick and mortar restaurant at youright, that we were the soul proprietors
up Right, I've helped people,you know, but I don't know the
front of the house. And meand Ray had a long conversation about that,
right, I I need to knowmore about the operation side. Right.
We can cook our butts off,right, we know how to pump
out quantity, you know how topump out quality, but we need to

(25:08):
know the operational side of it sothat we can get our heads wrapped around.
And even some of that will changewhat we do in the back of
course, you know. So havingthat lets us know how to be a
better business. Right, the moreproperties we have or maybe we can see
something that we can change or tweak, they may help us add something else
to the menu, or bring somethingelse to the menu, or help us,

(25:30):
you know, shift to the pointwhere we can be you know,
more expensive. Right, So itall is symbiotic, And I think that
that's what I'm really looking for here. I'm looking to get things full experience,
to get the full breakdown the numbers, the intricacies of the operation side.
I think these guys are you know, very fluent in there, and
just the information that I've been givenso far and seen, I mean,

(25:52):
I'm blown away technology. Man,The technology that is used here is very
intuitive. You can get you downto you know, the minute details,
what you sold, what's selling themost, what's your profit margin, what's
you know, going out the doorfastest? You know your ticket time?
What can you prepare fastest? Righttoo? Yeah, you know those are
important things. So having all ofthat data is something that we've never had

(26:17):
before. You know, We've we'vehad to just go off with customer experience,
right, and that's great, butit doesn't give us the raw data,
right, you know, and datais keing in the industry. Man,
you got to have your numbers,right, everything's run by that.
So I'm really excited about learning thatpart of it and giving myself that experience
so then I can become more ofa around the businessman myself. Right now,

(26:38):
how have you guys finding other chefs, cause, I mean you've got
your first chef and then they youknow, obviously they told a friend and
then they told a friend. Isit just kind of growing that way or
are you reaching out and trying tosign people on your own as well?
There's been a lot of that,and particularly with great people like Concetts who
introduce us to more great people likeCarl. We that's the best way to

(26:59):
back people. And uh, wealso have a lot of folks, particularly
on social media who live nominated peoplefor this opportunity. And and so that's
been really exciting to see customers comein and say, hey, this is
a cool concept. I know somebodywho's in Dallas or Fort Worth or even
who's outside of the city. Wehad somebody from New Jersey comment, wow,

(27:21):
what we're doing, you know,So that's been really exciting too.
So, yeah, that's that's beenthe that's probably been the easiest part.
It's fine, and cause we're alwayslooking for great food. We just want
to get eat good anyway. Yeah, and then all we do is just
make sure to meet the shift andthen things go from there. No,
that's so good that you already explainwhat the future of a kitchen combine looks

(27:47):
like. I have a segment onthe show. I call it the Tournament
of Toppings, trying to find thebest pizza place in Arlington. What does
y'all say, the pizza place inOrleanston? Yeah, wow, do you
do pizza? I have? Yes, I'm we could make this your favorite.

(28:11):
I mean, I think breakfast pizzaneeds to come back to QT does
a great job, but I don'tsee any o the restaurants, so you
may just put something in there andyou know, we might manifest that I
have a favorit pizza place, butit's a Tarca's done in Arlington. Yeah,
I don't live in Arlington, Okay, so I'm coming out of HIV,
right, Oh it is, man. I love the Area's in the

(28:33):
middle of everything, right, Ican get to anywhere in the city,
like twenty thirty, right, soI love that part. But there's a
place called uh Luches right off ofI believe it's Main Street. And the
reason why I love them because theyhave a lasagna pizza what. Yes,
So the ricatta's there, the basil, the tomatoes, the beef, the

(28:55):
sauce. You know, it's basicallyeverything you would put on a lasagna on
a pizza, right, man.I fell in love with that thing,
man, even though I take ithome and tweaket it a little guy on
their little trump oil, you know, and it just it's just it's it's
amazing, man. And then youfeel they're large slices, so you kind
of get like a little bit ofthat New York style feel to it.

(29:15):
That's my favorite style. Yeah.But yeah, man, it took a
great place man. Yeah and lessOkay, Yeah, I'm gonna check that
out. I don't know if it'smy it's definitely one of my recent favorites.
I recently. It's covered. Iwent to Pie Tap recently with my
wife, and it's got a fewdifferent places. It's one in Dallas,
I think, just one in fourwords, which is really impression, not

(29:37):
just on them, but really whatthey're only two. I like that.
I like, I like that pizza. That's good. I think my favorite
is Sam's Pizza in Sinceedar Hill.Okay, and uh, I like,
I mean, the pizza's great,but the environment is fantastic. That's that's
one of the key factors of agood place. Yeah. Yeah, I
mean you walk in and I usedto go with a buddy of mine who
who passed away about a year orso ago. And they're all from New

(30:00):
York, from the same general locationin New York. And so when you
walk in, it's like you're walkinginto your boys house, you know,
and it's like the thing and everything, but it's like and so they even
had a dish named after him.So and so it was just a great
experience. So I'm assuming the pizzais really good, but I really just

(30:23):
the environment is what I love somuch, but not the Pizzas the pizza
there's really good obviously. Yeah,yeah, that's awesome. Yeah. Now
I people wanted to find out moreabout the Kitchen Combine. Follow you guys
online, see you know as theshafts are coming in and the amazing field
they're making after they do all thethings. Yeah, website, it's the
best place Kitchencombine dot com and socialmedia at kinchen Combine on Instagram, Facebook,

(30:48):
TikTok is coming, so we're buildingthat. Make sure they know where
to find you. Yeah, chefwork. Yeah, so we're Cravings GC
on all platforms, on TikTok,on baby book, and on Instagram.
Okay, Also I forgot to mentionthis too. If anybody has Discovery Plus
or HBO Max, we were onthe last season of The Great Food Truck
Raised on the Food Network, sodefinitely check that out and there's a lot

(31:14):
of good surprises. If you haven'tseen the season, it's an amazing season.
A lot of great chefs, alot of great food, a lot
of twists and turns. So evenafter the first episode, I encourage people
to keep watching because there's a lotof things that happened and we did a
lot of firsts, So definitely checkthat out. But yeah, so social
media cravings GC on again, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. There you

(31:38):
go, guys. Thank you somuch for your time. I can't wait
to see what the future holds forthis place. And I can't wait for
February. I'm gona try your food. That's awesome everything. Yeah, thank
you. I would like to welcomethe show Constance with edies. How are
you doing today, man, I'mdoing very well. How about you doing
well? So kind of give usa little background. What is your background

(31:59):
in the industry? And uh,how long you been an amazing chef?
Okay? So I have been doingthis professionally for about seven years okay,
but been around food, being aroundcooking all my life. Yow uh.
My parents cooked cater My dad evenfor a really short stint in the city
of Fourth had a barbecue business calledwhere There's Smoke. Oh okay, so
about seven years ago left my jobin corporate America. Yeah, and just

(32:21):
see it. I'm going all in. What is my passion. It always
has been, and I like tomake things that are kind of out of
the box. So I literally tookmy income tax and just started it.
I had a pop up, andthen two weeks later I had a building.
Wow, and I I had afood restaurant and didn't for about almost
three years until my parents got ill. And after they got ill, of

(32:42):
course took care of them and Iwas closed it. But still have been
doing catering, uh, meal preps, private chef services, all different things
like that for the past seven years. That's incredible. Now, obviously with
that kind of span you have beenyou've learned to cook many, many things.
Uh what has been kind of someof your favorite things took and then
you know that's not on your menunow that you would. You know what
you do a restaurant, you doit, I guess. So anything smothering

(33:06):
and cover, smoothing and cover.I mean I don't care if I'm smothered
potatoes and smothered chicken. It's smotheringpork chops. Gravy is so top tier,
it's so Southern. Yeah, SoI love anything smother I also love
which this guy done cheese. Cheesemakes everything better. If you like in
tolerant to take a bill, shemakes it better. You gotta have ouie

(33:28):
gooey cheese. So I I Ido a lot of things to do with
cheese. Now, one thing thatwe're doing here that's really popular right now
it's egg rolls, and so youasked about what I would take and carry
with me, but I my mindis just turning with all different types of
variations because you can literally put almostanything in an egg roll. So that's
where I'm going with that. Alsoas well too, there's a new thing

(33:52):
that's coming floating around social media TikTok, Facebook, Reels, Instagram is gumbo
greens. Yes, so it's you'rea traditional gumbo with your greens and you
marry the two together. We've beenknocking it out the part with that,
so I definitely want to keep thatgoing, but also play with it too
for people like myself who have ashelfish allergy who may want to just do

(34:12):
the chicken and sausage gumbo versus theshrimp and sausage or even any other type
of crustations they may want to putinto it. So that's the next things
that I'm looking forward to do.It. I love that a lot.
Now, how did you hear aboutkitchen combine so? Well? First of
all, I just have to behonest. I know them. They're great
people. They're like family to me. And initially when they told me about
it, I think they were justkind of torn around with the idea of

(34:36):
almost like just a prep kitchen ora ghost kitchen. Initially, then we
started saying, well, what wouldit be when? What would it take
to do this? So if youwere here, what would you need?
And different things like that, Andso that's kind of how they brought it
presented to me. I don't knowwhat their background was saying, hey,
coming up with the concept, butwhen they kind of brought it to me,
I was like, I'm I'm allin, I'm a risk taker.

(34:58):
It sounds like a great idea.I'm so old. So yeah, how
is the month gone for you?The month that's gone very good for me?
If nothing else, I have learnedso much about me, my product,
and about trends, even though I'vedone this before. Having a physical
brick and water, you have tobe relevant. You have to keep up

(35:20):
or what is trendy, but alsotoo you have to keep certain things traditional.
So I'm a preacher's kids. Inmy background is church, so I
look at it like almost like youhave a traditional church where the older people
you gotta make them happy, butthe young people you gotta have some kind
of radical stuff you gotta throw thatyou Sunday in there or us. You're
gonna lose them if you do oneor the other. So with a concept
like this, you have to havetraditional items like your smothered chicken, like

(35:45):
your ox tails, but you gottahave that egg roll flight. It's like,
what is this? What is this? Maybe you're above sixty seventy crowd
is like egg grows. I don'tneed that. I'll do pot roastocos,
pot roast and a taco. Butyour young people are like yeah, so
you gotta keep some things the same, but you got to throw a spin
in there two so that you reachall the markets and you're on trend with

(36:07):
what's going on, what's relevant rightnow. So that's how I look at
it. I love that. Now, what did you learn the most this
month? What I learned the mostthis month was there were areas that I
was deficient in that I felt likeI could be stronger in. And those
areas were especially me and Miss theLemons had this conversation. I am a
risk taker to a certain extent,but not doubting myself, like really taking

(36:30):
that risk and jumping out there saying, hey, you can roll three thousand
egg rolls today. I'm just makingup, not being afraid to say what
if they don't sell? You knowyou got the sauce, you know you
got the product, do it,go for it. My dad, who
has passed away, he used tohave this same don't wait then get ready,
get ready, then wait because there'sno time till somebody comes in and

(36:52):
say I need a hundred egg rolls. And I was like, oh,
I only May fifty to day.I didn't I think, no, you
don't wait then get ready, youget ready, then wait, you already
have what you need and you're waitingfor them to come. Because if you
set the fire, they'll they'll come. So that's what I learned about myself,
that I know what I'm doing,I'm confident, don't be afraid to

(37:13):
walk in that to acting that.I also learned too that people, human
capital is your biggest asset. Soit's not just me. I'm not an
island. Unto myself. I haveto make sure that even if I can't
be your physical or if I'm notfeeling so well, that those people behind
that curtain that my biggest asset.They have to know everything that I know.

(37:34):
I have to share, just likewhen I was in Corporate America's business
practices with them, because if Idon't, then my business ultimately fails.
I can't have it all here.I can't be an island unto myself.
I got a communica and I've learnedthat. And I have to trust them
more to delegate more things to them, because if I don't, they won't
learn. If they're always under me, they won't learn. So I've given
them a lot more responsibility. Andeven if they mess it up, I

(37:58):
say, well, hey, butthat's a learning okay, So what are
you gonna do different next time thatI've given this responsible to you or I've
taught you to do this. SoI've learned those things about me. I
love that so much. Yeah,now you already kind of touched on some
of the things that people can getthis month as the month trapping up and
they can come in here, whatare some other things on the menu they
can look forward to? So Iam doing something right now with crawfish.

(38:22):
Okay, that's another thing too,So we've been testing out. We did
crawfish egg rolls, kind of testedthat market on that crawfish macaroni and cheese.
So yeah, and I think thatwe're gonna spend the block on that
pi ROAs I'm looking at I don'tknow something with that piros. We gotta
spend the block because it was justtoo good to let go. So how
do you do? So you youbraise your your parros just as normally as

(38:45):
you were. And then you're eithergonna put in a Dutch oven, crockpot
or oven slow and low, alwayssix hours minimum, right, and it's
just it's just falling apart. Andthen we take that and we shredded.
We do it with peppershinis, wedo it with onions and bell peppers,
and and then we put that thattortilla on the grill with a little bit
of oil, yea, some mozzarellacheese, get a heap and handle that

(39:06):
mixture on there, and we justsee it almost kind of like a beadia
taco. And I mean it hasa little crunch to it. It's to
die for it and serve with ogiuon the side. Ooh okay, I
was scurious how you're doing it,So yes, okay, so that's how
we're doing that, yup yup.And then what else can you uh people
they can live uh well also touh we're trying to do some variations of
we make our own beverages in ourse. So we do uh eaties delish tea,

(39:29):
yeah, and it has more ofa tropical flavor to it. We
do a house lemonade that is verygood. And then we do something called
the lick now and a traditional AfricanAmerican culture, we call it kool aid,
right, And when you think aboutkool aid, it's only one flavor
red red. That's not really aflavor, it's the color. It's red.
It's red kool aid. But wecall it the lick because it's so

(39:51):
good that it will literally make youmake your lips. That's what we call
it the leak. So we gonnalook at some variations of doing some different
things with our house lemonades and ourdrinks and our beverages. That so much
now as much wrapping up, whatcan people look forward to from you in
the future, So in the futurethey can just look forward to me doing
the same things that I've been doing. My catering, my private shif services,
my mail props, all of thosethose will never change. That has

(40:14):
what gotten me to where I amnow, and that that is what has
sustained me. I have also,and I mean this is very recently,
like as of last night, halfcompressed looked at a food truck. Okay,
So that's something that is going thatif I'm able to secure that,
that's gonna take me even further.I already do vendor events and different things
like that, but it's really coolto be able to pull up in your

(40:35):
own, you know, truck andbe able to kind of you know,
have something a hub to work outof as well. So that's my next
thing that I'm looking to do.I love that too, because you can
go to any city, pop up, do your thing, and especially let
people know ahead of time on socialmedia. And I do have a really
I do not have a large following, but I have a dedicated and a

(40:59):
commuit it following. Another thing,my dad had all these colloquial colloquialisms to
say because he was a Baptist minister, so they have all these things to
say, but he used to alwayssay, there's no use in counting the
numbers if you can't make the numberscount. I know a lot of people
who have millions of followers, buthow many of them are really committed to
you? And my followers? He'lltell you have showed up and showed it

(41:20):
out from me this month. Imean, there's so many times I came
like, can we just say,ah, can you just I can't even
come out to get I'm so busy. But they really, I mean,
they make it count and they showup for me. So I'm very appreciative
that are my followers. Yeah,I love that. As we told them
earlier. We have a second showcalled Tournament Toppings, trying to find the
best pizza place. What is yourfavorite piece of place. There's actually a
pizza place in Denton that I like, Mellow Mushroom, I know, and

(41:45):
there's changed they have, but theone in for Work now because you're living
in it, But I live inFort Work now. It's King Roso and
I think it's all Magnus. Listen, I love King Rosa. They're so
good. One other place, man, I can't think of the name of
it. It's on Hewlan in fourU is it what a Z no?

(42:07):
I cannot think I have. Ihaven't gotten by it yet, but it's
somewhere full orth of huland I thinkit starts with a Z. So because
pizza, I like pizza to andI like pizza because it's versatile. That
you know, it's a blank slateand you can put anything on it and
as much cheese as you want to. But yeah, you can put anything
on a pizza. So yeah,I like pizza as well. Now people

(42:28):
want to find you online, followyou, find out where're going in the
future. How can they do so? So my website is eedies, got
us Facebook Eaties, and then myInstagram is Eaties dlish and the dlish is
d e E L I s hthere we go. There you go,
concient, Thank you so much.I can't wait to see where you go
next month. And yeah, thankyou for having me. I appreciate it.

(42:50):
Yes, sir, baby, you'remy paradise. Our future could be
nice. Loving you is easy,like making chicken and rice. I'm not
sure what I did to deserve it, but I'm gonna make damn sure I

(43:12):
preserve it. Girl, you areso fine. I just want to sit
on the couch sipping wine, watchyour friends all the time. And I
know that you're tired and always runningthrough my mind, but I just gotta
let you know you are mine insidemy head along for you all the whole
day, stuck in men. Ilove you long after and I mine by

(43:37):
you. So glad your mind thanstars, Lyne. You are my paradise,
My say guess about times. I'vegot a boat, got a lot

(44:02):
of the age. You my numberone brow. No fight for you to
get it wrong. I no fightso up sn wanna lie, baby,
baby, get off soon and that'sjust get you easy to do. We'll
love. I'm visit you, mygod, you walk true better world we
go. I'm excited just to knowthat I'm fined. You are the one
inside and hey, A long foryou more than the spend the holy stuff

(44:29):
in the day, long long afternight lot you on my mind, sup.
So glad your mind starts lying.You're my paradise. Thank you so

(45:32):
much for everybody from kitchen Combine frombeing on the show today, Gerard,
Ray, Carl and Constance Again,you have through Wednesday to check out Constance's
amazing food with her eaties. Also, you have starting next month, you
can check out Chef Carl and droolall over that brunch menu that looks so

(45:54):
amazing or it sounded so amazing andI cannot wait to go back and check
it out. Also, you justheard Lottie with Basaltz featuring Cure for Paranoia,
and the top of the show youheard Cherrymantis and their song Paradise.
So thank you again for everybody forbeing on the show. At Definitely make
sure to check out our social mediabecause every Friday you get to find out

(46:15):
what's happening in your city of Arlingtonwith our find Out Friday, So definitely
make sure to go follow us onour social media's thank you very much,
and make sure to eat local,drink local, and go rediscover your city.
Tag us and send those pictures overto us on Facebook Arlington Citizen Media,
Twitter atx Citizen Media. Tag uson Instagram Arlington Citizen Media and send

(46:38):
those pictures the old fashioned way emailArlington Citizen Media at gmail dot com.
Also go to our website www dotArlington citisenmedia dot com. Don't forget to
subscribe and give those five star reviewsof the downtown at Apple Music, Spotify,
Google, podcasts and also hit uson SoundCloud, iHeart Radio and YouTube.

(47:16):
Up a Bundle un El, I'mUncle Up the Bun, Bubble Us
Up Bob, Bucky Doubt bubble Bon up a Bundle Other Album. I've
an Uncle of the bub Dot bydouble I Bogle a Bu Bugle Boy do
Do Doubt The Very book Uncle BobUn The Other Album Other An Uncle Ob,

(47:43):
Bubble Up the Bob, Uncle BuckingDot Dot bub Bub Uncle Bob Album Uncle