Anyone now what Kenny Miller (Jailhouse Chilli fame) is upto
Discussion
Anyone know what happened to Kenny?
He was considered a bit of a prodigy in the late 90s, tipped to be the new Keith Floyd?
Kenny worked in America's deep south, perfecting Gumbo, Cajun, Tex-Mex etc, then opened Kenny's in Hampstead. Last I heard, he was working at Cactus Blue in Chelsea for Brian Stein, but is long gone.
People from this forum will know him as the creator of the legendary 'Jailhouse Chilli'.
Anyone have any idea?
EDIT - nightmare spelling mistake in the title!
He was considered a bit of a prodigy in the late 90s, tipped to be the new Keith Floyd?
Kenny worked in America's deep south, perfecting Gumbo, Cajun, Tex-Mex etc, then opened Kenny's in Hampstead. Last I heard, he was working at Cactus Blue in Chelsea for Brian Stein, but is long gone.
People from this forum will know him as the creator of the legendary 'Jailhouse Chilli'.
Anyone have any idea?
EDIT - nightmare spelling mistake in the title!
JKRolling said:
I think someone asked the same question on here last year and it turned out he had passed away. Don’t know any more than that.
Mobile Chicane said:
I have a pot on the go as well.
The cheapest beef available - Tesco frozen casserole beef - works particularly well in Jailhouse, but give it at least 8 hours in the slow cooker as it's as tough as tractor tyres.
I was fortunate to eat at Cactus Blue while Kenny was Head Chef there and the food was amazing.
I've been trying for years to track Kenny down and thank him. Last mention I found was on a hotel and catering forum, on which the poster said they thought he might have died.
The cheapest beef available - Tesco frozen casserole beef - works particularly well in Jailhouse, but give it at least 8 hours in the slow cooker as it's as tough as tractor tyres.
I was fortunate to eat at Cactus Blue while Kenny was Head Chef there and the food was amazing.
I've been trying for years to track Kenny down and thank him. Last mention I found was on a hotel and catering forum, on which the poster said they thought he might have died.
RobbieTheTruth said:
Anyone know what happened to Kenny?
He was considered a bit of a prodigy in the late 90s, tipped to be the new Keith Floyd?
Kenny worked in America's deep south, perfecting Gumbo, Cajun, Tex-Mex etc, then opened Kenny's in Hampstead. Last I heard, he was working at Cactus Blue in Chelsea for Brian Stein, but is long gone.
People from this forum will know him as the creator of the legendary 'Jailhouse Chilli'.
Anyone have any idea?
EDIT - nightmare spelling mistake in the title!
Hello, I am not sure how this works, or indeed when you originally posted this question, could have been years ago, but I wanted to make an account and respond as I have been truly moved by all the love for Kenny and his food.He was considered a bit of a prodigy in the late 90s, tipped to be the new Keith Floyd?
Kenny worked in America's deep south, perfecting Gumbo, Cajun, Tex-Mex etc, then opened Kenny's in Hampstead. Last I heard, he was working at Cactus Blue in Chelsea for Brian Stein, but is long gone.
People from this forum will know him as the creator of the legendary 'Jailhouse Chilli'.
Anyone have any idea?
EDIT - nightmare spelling mistake in the title!
I am Kenny's nephew. I only just found this thread and another one talking about his Jailhouse Chili (in 2025!), largely because today is 'celebrate Ken' day aka go to a pub and celebrate my uncle by doing one of his favourite things, going to the pub. It was because of today that I have been googling Kenny (whilst I should be working) and found a few articles, comments, and these threads. Honestly, it really moved me how he and his food have impacted people and the questions around what he was up to because people loved his restaurants prompted this response.
Kenny died back in 2013. I won't go into details, but he'd been unwell for a while. We miss him, but will still raise a drink to his memory, and of course whip up one of his recipes as much as possible. I got married this year and we included one of his recipes at everyone's place, so Kenny could keep cooking for people even now.
This may disappear into the bowels of the internet but perhaps if you are thinking about gumbo or jailhouse chili and were wondering about my uncle, you may stumble across this response and know how happy he'd be (and we are, mum, sister, grandma) that people still love his recipes.
Thank you all - honestly this has made me really happy (also misty-eyed but there you go)
Edited by KennyMNephew on Thursday 16th October 14:24
KennyMNephew said:
Hello, I am not sure how this works, or indeed when you originally posted this question, could have been years ago, but I wanted to make an account and respond as I have been truly moved by all the love for Kenny and his food.
I am Kenny's nephew. I only just found this thread and another one talking about his Jailhouse Chili (in 2025!), largely because today is 'celebrate Ken' day aka go to a pub and celebrate my uncle by doing one of his favourite things, going to the pub. It was because of today that I have been googling Kenny (whilst I should be working) and found a few articles, comments, and these threads. Honestly, it really moved me how he and his food have impacted people and the questions around what he was up to because people loved his restaurants prompted this response.
Kenny died back in 2013. I won't go into details, but he'd been unwell for a while. We miss him, but will still raise a drink to his memory, and of course whip up one of his recipes as much as possible. I got married this year and we included one of his recipes at everyone's place, so Kenny could keep cooking for people even now.
This may disappear into the bowels of the internet but perhaps if you are thinking about gumbo or jailhouse chili and were wondering about my uncle, you may stumble across this response and know how happy he'd be (and we are, mum, sister, grandma) that people still love his recipes.
Thank you all - honestly this has made me really happy (also misty-eyed but there you go)
Thank you for replying, I'm sure I can speak for many on this thread, Jailhouse and other recipes by Kenny are used and enjoying by lots of us. I am Kenny's nephew. I only just found this thread and another one talking about his Jailhouse Chili (in 2025!), largely because today is 'celebrate Ken' day aka go to a pub and celebrate my uncle by doing one of his favourite things, going to the pub. It was because of today that I have been googling Kenny (whilst I should be working) and found a few articles, comments, and these threads. Honestly, it really moved me how he and his food have impacted people and the questions around what he was up to because people loved his restaurants prompted this response.
Kenny died back in 2013. I won't go into details, but he'd been unwell for a while. We miss him, but will still raise a drink to his memory, and of course whip up one of his recipes as much as possible. I got married this year and we included one of his recipes at everyone's place, so Kenny could keep cooking for people even now.
This may disappear into the bowels of the internet but perhaps if you are thinking about gumbo or jailhouse chili and were wondering about my uncle, you may stumble across this response and know how happy he'd be (and we are, mum, sister, grandma) that people still love his recipes.
Thank you all - honestly this has made me really happy (also misty-eyed but there you go)
Edited by KennyMNephew on Thursday 16th October 14:24
Have a beer and raise a glass, cheers Kenny.
Thank you for taking the time to make a reply and put as all at rest, so to speak, as to what happened to him.
I'm another of your Uncle's big fans and lucky to have a copy of his book and we cook from it regularly.
I've traveled a bit in the States but the only place remaining that I want to tick off is the deep south, and his inspiration with food is a lot of that reason.
I'm another of your Uncle's big fans and lucky to have a copy of his book and we cook from it regularly.
I've traveled a bit in the States but the only place remaining that I want to tick off is the deep south, and his inspiration with food is a lot of that reason.
Thanks for posting, Kenny's nephew, a wonderful surprise for all of us who have been cooking and enjoying his Jailhouse Chilli for years (my own tip is to add some dark chocolate).
Sorry to learn your uncle is no longer with us but look at his legacy and how revered he is here - a true legend.
I have a copy of his 'Cajun Creole Cook Book'; I really must dip into it more often.
Sorry to learn your uncle is no longer with us but look at his legacy and how revered he is here - a true legend.
I have a copy of his 'Cajun Creole Cook Book'; I really must dip into it more often.
KennyMNephew said:
Hello, I am not sure how this works, or indeed when you originally posted this question, could have been years ago, but I wanted to make an account and respond as I have been truly moved by all the love for Kenny and his food.
I am Kenny's nephew. I only just found this thread and another one talking about his Jailhouse Chili (in 2025!), largely because today is 'celebrate Ken' day aka go to a pub and celebrate my uncle by doing one of his favourite things, going to the pub. It was because of today that I have been googling Kenny (whilst I should be working) and found a few articles, comments, and these threads. Honestly, it really moved me how he and his food have impacted people and the questions around what he was up to because people loved his restaurants prompted this response.
Kenny died back in 2013. I won't go into details, but he'd been unwell for a while. We miss him, but will still raise a drink to his memory, and of course whip up one of his recipes as much as possible. I got married this year and we included one of his recipes at everyone's place, so Kenny could keep cooking for people even now.
This may disappear into the bowels of the internet but perhaps if you are thinking about gumbo or jailhouse chili and were wondering about my uncle, you may stumble across this response and know how happy he'd be (and we are, mum, sister, grandma) that people still love his recipes.
Thank you all - honestly this has made me really happy (also misty-eyed but there you go)
I am Kenny's nephew. I only just found this thread and another one talking about his Jailhouse Chili (in 2025!), largely because today is 'celebrate Ken' day aka go to a pub and celebrate my uncle by doing one of his favourite things, going to the pub. It was because of today that I have been googling Kenny (whilst I should be working) and found a few articles, comments, and these threads. Honestly, it really moved me how he and his food have impacted people and the questions around what he was up to because people loved his restaurants prompted this response.
Kenny died back in 2013. I won't go into details, but he'd been unwell for a while. We miss him, but will still raise a drink to his memory, and of course whip up one of his recipes as much as possible. I got married this year and we included one of his recipes at everyone's place, so Kenny could keep cooking for people even now.
This may disappear into the bowels of the internet but perhaps if you are thinking about gumbo or jailhouse chili and were wondering about my uncle, you may stumble across this response and know how happy he'd be (and we are, mum, sister, grandma) that people still love his recipes.
Thank you all - honestly this has made me really happy (also misty-eyed but there you go)
Edited by KennyMNephew on Thursday 16th October 14:24
Thank you so much. I am so glad you found this thread.
By the power of PH - actually search engine indexing... If I don't happen to have the book with me, I can just Google search 'Jailhouse Chili', and lo and behold, it's at the top of the list
Long may it remain.What an absolute legend. I love his books. Any chapter which starts 'First catch your coon', has my attention for sure. Were the house on fire, 'Kenny's Cajun & Creole' would be the first thing I'd save after myself and the cat.
My next squirrel stew will be dedicated to his memory.
He must have been a joy to know and work with. I wish I could have met him. I'm sure you must miss him very much.
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