Meet Jordan Rickard, former executive chef at Napoli Italian Eatery
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Changing of the guard
Wichita’s new generation of chefs is young, passionate and earnest, and they’re focused more on sustainability and creativity than their predecessors could be.
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Wichita’s “new guard” of chefs are passionate young men and women who are local celebrities.
For them, food is an art, a passion and a career, not just a job. They’re not competitors but colleagues. They’re pumped about local vegetables. They’re friends with local farmers. And they’re leading Wichita on a new culinary course. Read about Jordan Rickard below; read about more of the new guard here.
Jordan Rickard
Job: Former executive chef at Napoli Italian Eatery, 7718 E. 37th St. North, working on a new restaurant with his brother, Jason
Age: 32
Hometown: Wichita
Training: Johnson and Wales University—Denver
Restaurant resume: Sous Chef at Beast+Bottle,Denver; Meat and pastry cook at Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder
How did you become interested in cooking? “I kept making these increasingly elaborate meals for my friends and eventually decided to get a job as a dishwasher just to get my foot in the door. I remember I wore a dress shirt and shoes to the interview while the chef was sitting on an upturned bucket while smoking a cigarette.”
What makes Wichita a special place for dining? “Every time I would come back to Wichita to visit my parents, I would keep seeing more images of the Wichita flag on stickers, in windows, and on street art. I think it’s indicative of this resurgence of local pride and support for small businesses that is really thrilling to be a part of.”
One thing you’d like to change about Wichita’s restaurant scene: “I wish more people were open to a wider variety of vegetables.”
Favorite Wichita restaurant besides your own: Sport Burger, 134 N. Hillside
Your philosophy on your job: “Undersell. Over deliver.”
This story was originally published October 31, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
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