In 2020, colleagues and friends Chef Quinnton Austin and Chef Kelston Moore conversed about their experiences as young Black chefs in the culinary industry and the challenges they faced.
Shortly after, they began organizing local events that showcased the talent of Black chefs in San Diego and brought customers to restaurants affected by the pandemic. This resulted in a wave of budding chefs looking to the duo for advice and opportunity.
With a little convincing from close friends and family, chefs Quinnton and Kelston decided to start what they hoped would become a movement to help pave the way for Black chefs, providing them with opportunities to grow and expand their knowledge in and of the culinary industry.
What started as a couple chefs doing pop-up tastings throughout San Diego transformed into a non-profit organization that highlights African American chefs and creates awareness through mentorship, events, scholarships, and programs – otherwise known as Bad Boyz of Culinary.
We sat down with Kelston Moore, Co-Founder of Bad Boyz of Culinary, to get the inside scoop on the Bad Boyz – who they are, what they do, and what’s coming up.
Tell us about yourself and how you became a chef.
I’m Kelston Moore. I’m a private chef here in San Diego and I co-founded a non-profit called Bad Boyz of Culinary. [My journey to becoming a chef] starts with childhood. My dad cooked a lot growing up, so I picked up things. When I got out of the Navy, my journey really started. I had to find something to do so I went to culinary school for six months, traveled, worked in Stockton for a little bit, prepping kitchens and restaurants, and then decided to start my own private chef business.
What inspires you?
My travels, my journey, my life, and my childhood in Barbados, Boston and Indiana. I am still a child now, childhood is everyday life for me.
Tell us about the Bad Boyz of Culinary.
Bad Boyz of Culinary is a non-profit collective of chefs. We highlight African American chefs and create awareness through mentorship, events, scholarships, and programs.
We came up with the idea of having different chefs from each walk and collective of the culinary industry – like Chef Quinnton and myself. We work with Chef Tony Bennett who works on yachts, military events and private chef work, Chef DuVal Warner who is a butcher and Executive Chef at Ranch 45, and Chef Pete Coleman a food truck owner and private chef. We also work with female chefs like our Culinary Showcase winner Chef Sheridan Street and Vegan Chef Geannie Jordana.
We wanted pull different aspects of the culinary world together and help everyone. Whether you want to apply for that restaurant job, the executive chef job, work on a yacht to running your own food truck, you have someone you can get that mentorship and training from to find out what it takes. I think that’s why it’s been so great to have a group of us together – to be able to offer different aspects to different people.
What is your “why” behind creating this organization?
My personal journey. The help that I never received, was the best help I ever got. I think that’s the biggest problem in the industry right now, not being able to help because we’re too competitive with each other instead of realizing it’s better to educate your relief. That’s the person that’s going to give you the time to take a vacation, or a break, or move up to the next position. So that’s the reason why I decided to create [this organization.]
What advice would you give a budding chef?
Remain a student. Always remain trainable. Even now, I go in and work with my buddy Chef Tony who has been doing this longer than me and we work so well together. It’s never like ‘I know better’ or ‘I know more than you.’ I think that [attitude] allows you to learn and grow so much more and be a person people can work with.
I think remaining a student is the best mentality to have. A lot of people in these kitchens, these restaurants, these chefs, that have accolades and everyone knows who they are still take criticism and their dishes are elevated because of it.
Speaking of budding chefs, tell us about Bad Boyz of Culinary competitions and scholarships.
We did the first all-Black culinary competition in San Diego last year, in February. I think it was a great outreach and a great way to get into the community.
I saw those [young chefs’] eyes in the kitchen and I could just see the frustration, confusion, tiredness, and every other emotion melt away. The look in their eyes and faces during the competition was just so glorifying to me because that is what we do everyday, and to be able to give them that experience was incredible. Especially having companies believe in what we were trying to do and to sponsor the event, it was a great thing.
What are some exciting projects coming up for Bad Boyz of Culinary?
I gotta see which one I can tell you about! An event we’re planning right now is with Walter Carter, sommelier and Director of Hospitality at Danza Del Sol Winery in Temecula, California. It will be an event leading up to the San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival in November. Imagine an event where Bad Boyz of Culinary meets the Secret Family Recipe in a vineyard-style backyard BBQ.
Stay up to date with Bad Boyz of Culinary and connect with their roster of incredibly talented tastemakers on Instagram at @badboyzofculinary.
