A self-proclaimed prodigal son with a degree in biochemistry agreed to meet with OTC for a spontaneous interview during his shift. Most know Kenny as the head bartender of Old Town Public House, the local craft beer bottle shop, but Kenny is a multifaceted individual. He provided so many interests and words of wisdom that coherently organizing them seemed to be a challenge at first. Luckily, he also mentioned three main pillars on which he builds his life, and they compartmentalize his interests well: community, education, and cuisine.
Community:
As a bartender in the town of Cornelius, Kenny is privy to many town secrets, one of many intriguing parts of his job. However, before this current getup, he worked at a Christian non-profit, which he believes very much helped him prepare for this job. He also currently tutors high school students in chemistry and biology. He has quite the passions for using his passions to improve the lives of others. “These have been the fastest years of my life,” he says.
Education:
One can infer from his tutoring experience that Kenny has a love for science. As aforementioned, he has a degree in biochemistry from the University of South Carolina. He utilized this while doing environmental science work at Duke Energy- impressed yet? When asked what some of his favorite scientific topics are, he immediately begins to describe some of the leaps and bounds made by modern regenerative medicine. Specifically, he tells a tale of how pig-derived stem calls were used to regrow some guy’s finger. With such interest in these topics, how does that play in to his love of craft beer and cooking?
Cuisine:
Obviously, there’s order and calculations behind great food. On his blog, throughcraftcoloredlenses.blogspot.com, Kenny analyzes his recipes and brews in detail, AND he recommends great music to listen to while enjoying these things. However, in more general terms, he says Italian food is his favorite to cook. “I get most of my girlfriends from cooking,” he adds, laughing. If his food is anything like his beer, who can blame them?
…So community, education, cuisine… anyone can see that this guy is a man of many talents. Behind the impressive skills and knowledge is someone who loves Chance the Rapper and watches Southpark to fall asleep. There are multitudes of other fun facts and tidbits to add about him, but that might turn this article into a book. Want to know more? Just ask Kenny.
Jess Boye
I live here in Old Town Cornelius and absolutely love our area's unique character. My life's calling is to work to bring art and culture to the forefront of everyday life. I work full-time for Bella Love, Inc and taking care of my adorable son, Kipton.
