The eclectic cafe has survived two fires and a pandemic to remain among the many prime eating places in Tallahassee. The motto: ‘eat, drink and speak loud — You’re amongst pals.’
On June 4, will probably be 25 years since Keith Baxter opened the doorways to Kool Beanz Cafe on a stretch of Thomasville Highway that will later grow to be the center of Midtown.
When my husband and I moved to Tallahassee 9 years in the past, my co-workers took me to Kool Beanz the place I used to be instantly hooked on the meals, with favorites like mojo hen with shrimp and chorizo, linguine tasso ham, pecan-floured trout and black bean truffles. For dessert, I couldn’t resist Baked Alaska.
Kool Beanz is a go-to place for its scrumptious delicacies, the pleasant service and the artsy, funky high quality that continues to be to this present day. It’s straightforward to really feel snug in a restaurant with the motto: “eat, drink and speak loud You’re amongst pals.”
There’s a vibe of familiarity at Kool Beanz however even a newcomer feels welcome.
In a fickle hospitality world, Kool Beanz has not solely managed to outlive for greater than 20 years. The eclectic restaurant has stored its place among the many most beloved eating locations within the metropolis, overcoming two fires and the pandemic alongside the best way.
“In 1996, I hoped simply to make it to the following week, by no means imagining what 25 years into the longer term would seem like,” mentioned Keith.
What it seems like is a longtime success. It’s an achievement shared by few institutions in Tallahassee. How does that occur?
Speak to clients and staff and also you’ll achieve some perception: ”
“The primary factor was clearly the cooking,” mentioned longtime buyer Jim O’Neill.
“Having a nice chief,” mentioned Susannah Frick, who has been working at Kool Beanz since opening day.
“A pure power,” mentioned buyer Ken Tyrell.
“I’ve been going there since they opened,” mentioned Ken, who owns and develops automotive washes. “It’s been nice ever since. One of many issues I feel is so spectacular is the continual selection.
“You go daily and the menu modifications,” he mentioned. “There could also be salmon or grouper or pork tenderloin however the setups change. Grouper may need a Southwestern affect in the future and Asian the following or Korean or Indian. When Keith got here to Tallahassee, no one was doing meals like that. He introduced a new normal to delicacies.”
Jim, one other 25-year buyer, mentioned “Kool Beanz had a nice product on Day One and it’s simply nearly as good now. Service has additionally stood out. His staff are very skilled.”
A type of staff is Susannah, who met Baxter by her brother. “After I heard Keith was going to open a restaurant, I walked proper as much as him and mentioned ‘When you rent me I would be the greatest worker you ever had… Who knew I’d nonetheless be at Kool Beanz 25 years later.”
Susannah attended Florida State College and graduated whereas being employed on the cafe. She’s now a full time expertise recruitment specialist for a native agency whereas nonetheless working as a server at Kool Beanz three nights a week.
“I’ve gained lifelong pals who’re coworkers and clients,” mentioned Susannah. “We’re taking a look at generations of shoppers.”
Her coworker, pastry chef Sylvia Gould, a James Beard semifinalist in 2020, began working as a hostess 5 months after Kool Benz opened and later turned a server. “I used to be in school on the time. It was a small, intimate restaurant and there was a superb power. Keith let everybody be themselves and was very understanding.”
Sylvia, who has a bachelor’s diploma in wonderful arts at FSU, skilled that high quality when she determined she wished to grow to be a pastry chef when the opening got here up.
“She got here to me and mentioned ‘I’m going to do that,’ “ mentioned Keith, who added that giving her the possibility was “the very best resolution I ever made.”
“Everybody has a inventive enter at Kool Beanz. They really feel like they’re being heard,” mentioned Sylvia, whose dreamy pasty creations draw from her Vietnamese and German American heritage and keenness for discovering new methods and taste. Learn extra about Sylvia and her nomination at: tallahasseetable.com/kool-beanz-pastry-chef-a-james-beard-semi-finalist/
That openness stems from Keith’s personal backstory.
He was born in London the place his mom was a nurse and his father was within the navy so he traveled a lot. Keith didn’t wish to attend school so he labored odd jobs and continued to journey, as soon as driving throughout the Sahara “to the center of the desert and again once more.”
He went to work as a clerk sitting behind a desk “and I felt like I used to be dying internally. I needed to discover one thing else to do.”
Within the 1970s, there weren’t any quick meals locations in the UK till the primary McDonald’s opened in 1974. Different quick meals locations then started to pop up. Keith noticed a newspaper advert from a firm that supplied employment alternatives and determined to test it out. “What appealed to me was coaching in unique places abroad. My unique location was Louisville, Kentucky working for a firm known as Burger Queen.”
Keith returned to London after the coaching interval was over however knew he wished to return to the US. He returned to Jap Kentucky and labored for a restaurant proprietor who “taught me a lot concerning the restaurant enterprise whereas on the similar time imparting knowledge that my 22-year-old self didn’t perceive or respect till many birthdays later.
“He taught me humility and to be linked to the group however most of all he preached that eating places are a folks enterprise first. The individuals who come and sit at your desk and the individuals who make it occur.”
It was recommendation that Keith took to coronary heart in his future journeys.
He finally moved to Florida and finally landed in Tallahassee, the place he turned a chef for numerous eating places.
“With the generosity and religion of a expensive good friend, along with a small group of people that have been ready to work very onerous, on a wing and a prayer 25 years in the past on June 4, 1996 I opened Kool Beanz Cafe. Success or fail, this was to be my final cease on my private restaurant work trip,” Baxter wrote in a notice thanking his staff and clients for their help and loyalty.
“A lot has occurred in 25 years,” Keith states in his notice. “We’ve transcended obstacles and boundaries alongside the best way however have been in a position to have fun many extra successes. Kool Beanz has moved by a number of incarnations evolving to the place we’re in the present day which I consider is the very best we have now been. Whereas I’ve by no means had a accomplice, rising from a 42 seat “gap within the wall” that was my skilled dream, to 132 seats, 2 kitchens, a personal eating room and out of doors seating wouldn’t have been attainable with out the generosity and help of a few folks to whom I can be eternally grateful. ..”
“The individuals who have helped me make it occur are some amazingly gifted of us who’ve been a a part of all or a lot of the 25 years, are among the many best I’ve had the pleasure to work with in my 43 years within the enterprise. They purchased into my dream and made it theirs with their tireless effort. They’ve had a deep sense of caring about doing the appropriate factor every day with a loyalty as if KBC have been their very own. Immediately we proudly name that group our Kool Beanz household. I can’t thank sufficient my household of Susannah, Lindsay, Sylvia, Frank, Chris, Harry, Nate, Trey and lots of others. They’re brothers and sisters to me. It’s they who’ve been the heartbeat and life blood of Kool Beanz over the 25 years.”
As for the origin of the title, Kool Beanz, “I want I had a cute story,” mentioned Keith, who mentioned it most likely got here from his artist brother, whose work has embellished the restaurant, together with native artists like Pattie Maney.
A couple of years in the past, Keith made a lot of renovations, with new flooring, new counter, lighting, a personal room and extra refined hues. Kool Beanz gallery of vibrant native artwork nonetheless brightens the partitions, however there’s not fairly as a lot of it, and a few items are bigger.
Regardless of obstacles that come up within the restaurant biz, the final 14 months have been essentially the most difficult,” mentioned Keith.
“We have been closed for virtually three months,” he mentioned. “A PPE mortgage stored key folks round. Our workers got here again, cooking nice meals and offering nice service.”
Picture: Tallahassee Desk
I ordered takeout throughout that point and the meals was nonetheless top-notch though we did miss the workers and environment.
Now that Kool Beanz is busy once more, with a packed car parking zone, the workers shortages which have plagued the business nationwide have additionally hit Kool Beanz. Keith put up hiring notices on Fb just lately, and in a single submit wrote: “The labor scarcity within the hospitality (business) could be very actual. Kool Beanz can be closed on Tuesdays till additional discover. It’s that actual.”
Seems that “Marco Rubio shared my submit and it stirred up the trolls,” mentioned Baxter, who obtained dozens of nasty messages, many about eating places not paying staff excessive sufficient wages.
“I feel our wages are most likely a number of the greatest on the town,” Baxter mentioned. “Our kitchen guys stick with me,” some so long as 17 years.
And there’s Susannah, who was there firstly.
”Giving again to the group,” “teamwork” and “constructing relationships with clients,” are among the many qualities which have helped Kool Beanz thrive, she mentioned. These qualities have been worthwhile classes for her as nicely.
“When the going will get powerful, the powerful hold going,” Susannah mentioned. “This has been a enormous lesson from Kool Beanz, which goes deeper than the restaurant — Keith’s power to persevere offers me with this mentality as nicely.”
Moved to write down about all that she has discovered at Kool Beanz, Susannah famous that “by the pandemic, Keith closed the restaurant forward of presidency closures. He had his workers and his clients weighing on his shoulders and he wished to maintain all of us protected.”
Baxter isn’t above serving to out his workers both. Throughout a cellphone dialog I had with him final week, he was within the restaurant washing dishes.
“You do what you need to do,” he mentioned, noting washing dishes just isn’t one thing he has to do fairly often. When workers hiring will increase, the restaurant will reopen on Tuesdays, he mentioned.
“Restaurant hospitality is very like conducting an orchestra,” mentioned Keith. “You don’t should grasp every instrument however solely how you can make music with all the devices collectively.”
“It’s bodily difficult at 63 however I nonetheless take pleasure in it,” he mentioned. “Kool Beanz has been an unbelievable and magical journey to date. It’s a labor of affection.”
Right here’s an excerpt from Keith’s thanks notice to clients and workers,:
When you go …
Kool Beanz, 921 Thomasville Rd.; 850-224-2466
Hours: Lunch, 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Dinner from 5:30 to 10 p.m. Monday and Wednesday to Saturday. Sunday brunch 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
