Rising Stars: Meet Philip Thompson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Philip Thompson.

Hi Philip, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in England!

My grandmother was an avid cook and my grandfather and father were keen gardeners so growing up and eating fresh produce from the garden inspired me to become a chef. After working my way through kitchens in the South of England, I decided to make the jump across the pond and move to the United States where I spent 15 years in Washington DC working for Hilton Hotels on events such as the White House Correspondents Dinner, First Ladies Luncheon and the 2019 Youth Inaugural Ball for Barack Obama.

In 2020, whilst working at the Hilton flagship hotel in McLean, Virginia I was furloughed during the pandemic and took the opportunity during the summer to make a road trip to Kansas City! I loved the culture and vibe of the city and meeting the friendliest people I had come across. Shortly afterward I was offered the opportunity to open a brand-new hotel for Hilton in Aventura, Miami. I spent 14 months in South Florida cooking Latin food with a fun twist from around the world.

In early 2022, Kansas City once again was calling my name, Q39 (ironically the only restaurant I visited during my previous trip) offered me the opportunity to become Executive Chef overseeing back of house operations for the restaurants. I have long been interested in BBQ and learning more about the roots of American cuisine, so this has been a great chance to learn more about KC BBQ and enjoy some of the many delights the city has to offer.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Leaving my family behind in 2005 to move to the United States was definitely the most difficult decision of my life but one that I’ve never regretted as it’s been such a tremendous experience.

It definitely builds character. I like to put myself into different situations to grow as a person and as a chef. Moving to Kansas City as a British chef who hasn’t previously worked in the BBQ scene provides lots of obstacles to overcome but I am fresh from opening a hotel in Miami the heart of Latin cuisine where I was also a fish out of water.

2020 and the global pandemic obviously hit everyone hard but the hospitality industry was particularly hard hit and seeing many friends out of work was tough, opening a hotel in the midst of it was quite the logistical challenge but I am grateful to have had the opportunity and it was great to be able to hire people back into the industry who had previously been let go from hotels and restaurants.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I was classically trained in French cuisine and spent the early years of my career doing a lot of Mediterranean food. I love to travel so I like to incorporate different flavors and ingredients from my travels into my food. I love to be creative and think outside the box, I think it’s fun to give people an unexpected twist with a dish.

For me, an important part of what we do is giving back and it’s something that I believe strongly that we should all find the time to do. As a chef, I have been on the board of the Healthy School Food Maryland Organization which promoted healthy eating in schools, cooked for charitable events to raise money for victims of domestic abuse.

One of my most enriching experiences was hosting an Afghan Chef in partnership with Tables without Borders to teach him some cooking skills and present a dinner series showcasing Afghan cuisine and helping raise money for refugee resettlement.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I use social media a lot, particularly Instagram and LinkedIn they have been great tools for me to network with people and see what other chefs in the industry are doing.

It helps push the creativity levels all the time. I think it’s always important to have a mentor or someone you look to for inspiration, I have a number of chefs who I watch what they do every day, and it pushes me to get better.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefphilipthompson