Ken Kenwood, a longtime In-N-Out Burger Inc. exec with 30-plus years at the famed Irvine restaurant chain, is striking out on his own to open an American cuisine concept in Costa Mesa.
The 4,000-square-foot Kenwood’s Kitchen & Tap is set to open in May at C.J. Segerstrom & Sons’ The Shops at Mesa Verde, a shopping center at the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Adams Avenue.
Kenwood’s will serve steak, fish, chicken and burger dishes, alongside local craft beers and spirits.
Veneer brick, wainscoting, plenty of glass to let light in and a high-end kitchen touting an indoor smoker will mark the space.
“I’ve been in the restaurant industry my entire life, since I was 16,” Kenwood said. “It’s always been something in the back of my mind that I wanted to do and branch out on my own. It was time to give that an opportunity and chance.”
JLL represented Kenwood in the lease, while CBRE Group Inc. represented the landlord.
Family Ties
A late-night menu will cater to the 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. crowd on weekends. Plates will be priced around $12 to $18, with chicken and fish entrées in the low $20s.
The concept is a family business with Kenwood going in with his wife, Maria Kenwood. His brother-in-law and Le Cordon Bleu-trained Johnny Martinez will serve as executive chef.
Kenwood’s brother, Dan Kenwood, with 30 years in food service, will be director of operations.
“We’ve all been in this field and you’d sit around the table and talk about things and [the restaurant] just kind of came to fruition from there,” Ken Kenwood said.
Burger Background
Kenwood cut his teeth at In-N-Out, ranked No. 4 on the Business Journal’s list of the largest restaurant operators here with some $926 million in 2018 systemwide sales.
He started out at 16 working at the company’s Pomona restaurant thinking it would just be a simple job for spending money. However, the familial environment, operational execution and hard work resonated with him and his inherent hosting abilities. At 19, he said he knew he wanted to stay. He was a store manager at 23 and later opened the company’s first Phoenix store, as well as its La Mirada restaurant.
Kenwood became a divisional manager in 2000 and most recently served as assistant vice president of operations.
“In-N-Out’s a great brand,” Kenwood said of what kept him there. “They treat the customer and the employee well. I’ve always felt connected to the leadership and it’s just one of those good brands that have a good reputation and they back it up.”
If all goes well, Kenwood confirmed Costa Mesa will be the start to a multi-door restaurant concept.
“It’s in my blood. A lot of people ask me, ‘Why do you want to go in the restaurant industry?’ I kind of look at it as the opposite. This is what I’ve done since I was a kid. It fits my personality.”
