Kenny Ward following dream, switching popular Coast steakhouse to family-style restaurant
People who saw the new name posted outside Kenny Ward’s fine-dining restaurant declared him crazy for switching his successful steakhouse to family-style dining.
He’s undeterred as he prepares to open his new 38 Degrees restaurant in December.
“I closed Kenny Ward’s,” he said. The cost of prime beef fed into his decision, he said, along with his desire to change course.
“I always wanted to do this concept,” he said, and he’s been refining recipes and “practicing” for eight years. It’s now or never, he said.
He named his new restaurant 38 Degrees for a process he uses to brine meat that makes it more flavorful.
Contrary to those criticizing his plans, Facebook has frequent posts from residents craving the meat and potatoes kind of family restaurants that once were plentiful on the Coast.
His dinner plan is to offer seven varieties of meat and seafood, accompanied by a “buffet” of vegetables brought to the table, with seconds of vegetables brought on request.
Here’s what is on the way
“The biggest change is we’ll be open seven days for lunch and dinner,” he said. The steakhouse was open about three nights a week.
Among the proteins will be chicken fried ribeye, which he said is “amazing” and he predicts it will be the house favorite.
Among the other choices are Mississippi catfish fried or prepared Creole style, fried or grilled Gulf shrimp, applewood smoked chicken, fried chicken, chicken fingers and veggie plates.
And every dinner could be considered a veggie plate, as the table top will be crowded with flat iron Italian green beans, corn off the cob with cream and sugar, mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits and salad. One special vegetable will be offered each day.
They’ll also have a full bar, he said.
Family dinner to go
Ward said he expects to do a brisk take-out service, with meals packaged to stack and take home for the nights “Mama’s not cooking and neither is Daddy.”
He has years of experience in the restaurant and food industry.
“I’m probably the only person left who learned to cook at White Pillars,” he said. He started at that fine dining restaurant in Biloxi while he was in high school and he still makes his large 16/20 per pound shrimp breaded in cracker meal like he did at White Pillars.
He was the chief operating officer of Dairy Queen, he said, a vice president of Pepsi and opened Taco Bells across the area.
He operated his steakhouse for about 20 years in Ocean Springs, first on Government Street and later on Bienville Boulevard.
The new restaurant will fill the entire building that’s split up into smaller dining rooms. It’s being dressed in family-friendly tablecloths instead of fine-dining coverings.
While it won’t be fine dining, it will be nice, he said. “It’s going to end up being the best casual restaurant everyone’s ever eaten in,” he said.
This story was originally published November 13, 2024 at 2:06 PM.
