Stephen K.
Culinary Instructor, Full Life Academy
Chef Stephen began his culinary journey as a young boy in his Grandmother’s kitchen. Some of his fondest childhood memories are of the fall batches of apple sauce and springtime strawberry-rhubarb pies they would make each year. Their trips to the apple orchards and strawberries fields to hand-pick the freshest ingredients were the beginning of his lifelong passion for food. This carried on in the years to come in the kitchen at home with his mother.
Stephen got his start in the restaurant business as a young man working in kitchens of various local establishments. In his mid-twenties, his passion for the business led to his decision to attend Johnson & Wales University where he graduated with honors. During his time at JWU he received the Distinguished Visiting Chef Scholarship which is awarded to three students annually.
Stephen began his professional career as a private Chef in Cape Cod. Soon after, Stephen took his talents to the Hyatt Corporation where he served in many capacities within the kitchen and front of the house. Stephen worked in Hyatt properties in Key West FL, Dearborn MI, Pittsburgh PA, and Cambridge MD. In his career at Hyatt, Stephen was named manager of the quarter and placed first in crab cook offs over multiple years.
Soon after being married to his wife Deena, Stephen made the decision to work in higher education. At this point Stephen became Executive Chef at Rochester Institute of Technology. Stephen’s strong commitment to excellence led the way for plated dinners of 1250, buffets of 1700, and pizza parties with 200 sheet pizzas and 500 dozen wings. In June of 2014 Stephen eagerly accepted the position of Assistant Executive Chef for Campus Auxiliary Services at SUNY Geneseo. Here Stephen utilized his passion, skills, and community awareness to lead the team at Letchworth Dining Complex. Opening this 20 million dollar renovation proved to be a challenge, and was successfully opened in 2014. Awards from NACUFS shortly arrived after the opening. In 2015 Stephen began teaching Culinary Arts at Genesee Valley Educational Partnership. As a teacher he has engaged students in the field of culinary arts. He has challenged these students in community events such as Dish it Out, Cure Brunch & Feed the Need. Where Chef Kingston and his students competed against the area’s best chefs. Some of Chef Kingston’s students have placed regionally and state wide in culinary/hospitality competitions. Chef Kingston students placed in the top 10 in the NASA HUNCH program 2018 & 2019. Where they developed a recipe to go to the International Space Station. Students then competed at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas; cooking for Astronauts.
In 2013 Stephen was runner up in the ACF Chef of the Year competition for the Rochester chapter. Then in 2014, Stephen took top honors and was named the Rochester chapter ACF Chef of the Year. He also captained a team of chefs who received a bronze medal in an American Culinary Federation mystery basket competition. Stephen earned a second place finish in a national recipe contest for General Mills.
Stephen and Deena are proud parents of two children, Lyla and Abel, and family dogs Ike, Shadow and Dash. Stephen enjoys spending time with his family and can be found Sunday mornings making scratch pancakes with his kids.
