ken b.

Ken B. | Chef/Owner

Pachamamas

Years of Industry Service:  4  since high school (I think we forgot to ask exactly, oops)

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Even though Ken never had any thoughts about what he was going to do when he was younger, saying "I kind of crashed into it," being a chef that is, he must have had an inkling of what his future held. Besides skateboarding, sports and getting into general teenager trouble, Ken, clad in karate gear because "it kind of looked right," ran his own catering company in high school. 

Born in St. Louis, Ken has traveled all over learning his craft, San Francisco, New Orleans, Australia, New Zealand. He had no plans of returning to Lawrence, where he had attended The University of Kansas as a Political Science and History major, but as we all know, you never know where life is going to take you. Now he's a dad to a 3-1/2-year old and has been the chef/owner of Lawrence restaurant, Pachamamas for almost a decade.

He admires the collaboration and tight knit community of KC chefs, something Lawrence chefs don't have yet. Ken thinks it's because there are fewer restaurants in the same style genre and their peer groups are smaller. But even as he wishes for all that, he admits that he doesn't have a lot of time.

Lawrence is a part of Kansas City, a fact, Ken says, he can't deny anymore. "I used to pull 40-45% of my business from Kansas City (now it's closer to 30-35%)," he said. "If it wasn't for Kansas City, I wouldn't be here."

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For Sale: Pachamama's second location on Clinton Parkway (2161 Quail Creek Drive).

It's actually where the original Pachamama's was located. For about a year, it was their banquet space, 

but one that Ken said was logistically impossible to operate. If you're interested in living in beautiful Lawrence and opening your own restaurant, which he described as almost ski lodge-esque with high vaulted ceilings,

don't be shy, give him a ring.

  Make Lawrence Better » Local food is definitely on the rise, 

 keep dollars closer.