Kyle Rhodes
Sous Chef
Kyle was raised in a home where his stepmom Linda was always cooking up something new in the family kitchen, often with Kyle by her side with his own stool and spoon. She encouraged his interest in cooking so much so that by the age of 13, Kyle, who although he excelled in sports, decided he wanted to be a chef. His love of cooking was growing, so when it was time to get a job in high school he knew it would be in a restaurant setting. His first job was at Benard’s Surf in Cocoa Beach, where he started out as a server assistant, making tableside desserts and Caesar salads for guests. He expanded into the hot line breading fish, shrimp, mushrooms, and sweating over the fryers in the kitchen, which he loved. When it came time to make a decision for post graduation, traditional school just was not the right fit, so he enrolled in the culinary program at Keiser University. While attending Keiser, he joined the school’s culinary competition team, fueling his competitive nature. This competitive fire served him well over the next few years.
His first job after Keiser was at Disney’s Vero Beach Resort,where he met longtime friend & fellow chef Kevin who challenged him in various ways, and helped him expand his culinary skills. After leaving Vero Beach, he landed a position at a locally run restaurant where he was able to sharpen his leadership skills, and learn more about the financial side of the restaurant, FOH, and in the catering function as well. But, fate (and his friend Kevin) was closely following Kyle, so when an opportunity came to take a position at Dogfish Head Brewery, DE, with his chef mentor Kevin, he moved from Florida and joined the newly formed culinary team. During his 2-year tenure there he was able to assist in the opening of their restaurant concept, Chesapeake and Maine as Sous chef.
Kyle moved back to Florida and after a short initial trail found himself part of the NORMAN’S family at their former Ritz Carlton location, working under Chef “Andy” Mendoza. As that location was ramping down, and looking for a new location, Kyle had the opportunity to work in the hotel environment, as part of the opening culinary team at both the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin and Swan and Dolphin Reserve in the banquet vertical. After the successful launch, an opportunity came to be a part of the culinary team at a resort in the Bahamas, and while it was an interesting opportunity, it was not a good fit for him and his family. An opportunity in Savannah, GA was where they decided to put down roots, but that was until he received the call that he had been secretly hoping for, and what brought him back to Florida; NORMAN’S had opened a new location and was in need of an experienced Sous Chef. Kyle is very happy to be a part of the NORMAN’S family, it is where his cooking heart truly belongs.