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K.C. Ross

@iamchefkeys

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📍Born & Bred NYC ✈️CHI
Chef
As seen on @kwqcnews @livinglocalqc @wqadnews8 @whbftv
📧[email protected]

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Let the back rolls show!!!
They all said “they not gonna notice no rolls” 😂😂 #putitthefuckonsis
White Party Fit…

Shout out to @laurenoliviathebrand she was going to hook me up with a great beat (like always) but I decided bare face was the way to go!

😮‍💨 #bodypositive #curvygirl #noartificialanything #tiktok #bbw #200plusclub taken in Rock Island, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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2 years ago

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5 months ago

Tonight’s Tin Charcuterie was built around the idea that some of the best foods in the world come preserved in tins. They’re smoky, salty, rich, briny, and full of character. I wanted this board to feel rustic, indulgent, and a little chaotic in the best way.

On the board: spicy chicken nuggets, French soft cheese I can’t remember the name lol octopus in a tin, smoked oysters, smoked trout, mortadella, Capacola, Gruyère, cranberry white cheddar, duck liver mousse, olive muffuletta, Greek olives, strawberries, shishito peppers, cornbread crisps, flaxseed chips, Italian rosemary cheddar crackers, yuzu hot sauce, hot honey, and sultana tomato jam.

Every bite balances contrast; all this heat and sweetness, smoke and brightness, creamy and crunchy, rich and acidic. A little old-world conservas culture mixed with modern grazing board energy.

#TinCharcuterie
#CharcuterieBoard
#tinnedfish
#cheeses
#GrazingBoardGoals taken in Rock Island, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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5 months ago

First porchetta, and I’m very pleased with how this one turned out.

That skin gave me exactly what I wanted! A deeply golden, blistered and crisp with tender, juicy pork underneath and that beautiful spiral of filling running through every slice. There’s something especially satisfying about cutting into roasted meat you’ve spent two-3days preparing and seeing the technique actually translate to the final product. The contrast between the crackling, rendered pork and that bright, briny center is what makes this one for me.

Definitely a dish I’ll be revisiting.
#porchetta #porkroast #porkbelly #porklover #piggy

***Skin-on pork belly filled with Castelvetrano olives, Calabrian chile, herbs and aromatics, seasoned with smoked paprika and Italian herbs, rolled and left uncovered to dry for 48 hours before roasting. taken in Rock Island, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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13 hours ago

Kahlúa Espresso Brownies. 🍫☕️

I’m heading over to Leticia and Eli’s and obviously I wasn’t about to show up empty-handed, so brownies it is. Kahlúa. Espresso. Lots of chocolate. Crackly tops. Thick, fudgy centers. I wanted them slightly wetter in the middle, so next time I’m pulling them a few minutes earlier. They’re still soft and rich, but I know the exact texture I was going for and I’m gonna get it. Recipe coming soon on substack!

Now let’s talk about the REAL reason I was excited to make these.
I bought this @prokeeper_byprogressive about a week ago and have literally been waiting for my opportunity to use it. 😂 It’s made specifically for cookies, brownies and other baked goods, has an airtight seal, AND there’s a terracotta stone built into the lid that you soak to help keep everything soft and chewy. I saw that and said oh, you’re coming home with me.

#brownies #prokeeperstorage #chocolatelovers #fudgeybrownies #chocolate taken in Rock Island, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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2 days ago

Thank you to Leticia @sowingseedugc and Eli for opening their home to me today! A wonderful brunch, 4-wheelers, chickens and a bunch of other amazing things on #sundayfunday taken in Milan, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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2 days ago

First time making porchetta, so truthfully, this one is an experiment.

I started with a beautiful skin-on pork belly from Johnnie’s Meat Market. Porchetta (Por-Ket-tah) is basically Italy’s way of saying pork belly can use a little razzle dazzle. It’s seasoned with herbs and aromatics, rolled up tight, and roasted until the inside is juicy and flavorful and that skin gets crispy as hell. It originated in central Italy, but like most old-school dishes, everybody has their own way of doing it. I decided not to score the skin because I want to see what happens when I keep that exterior completely intact and give it plenty of time to dry. Instead, I scored the **meat side to create more surface area for all that seasoning to work its way in.

I seasoned it with smoked paprika, Calabrian chile, Italian herbs and dried aromatics, then spread a hand-chopped Castelvetrano olive relish across the inside. I wanted that buttery, briny olive flavor to cut through the richness of the pork. Then I rolled it skin-side out, tied it as tightly as I could, and now comes the part that requires patience: 48 hours uncovered in the refrigerator. I want that skin DRY before it ever sees the oven.

Will leaving the skin whole give me the crackling I’m looking for? Will 48 hours make the difference? We’re gonna find out. 😂 This is understanding the technique, making a choice, and seeing what happens. Now, here’s the wild card: because I’m rolling a full skin-on belly, some of that skin naturally ended up inside the spiral. Ideally, I’d want all of it exposed, because skin trapped inside obviously can’t crackle. Is it going to give me an undesirable chewy layer, or will that long cook render it down into something beautifully gelatinous? I don’t know yet. This is my first porchetta, and I’m not pretending I do. We’re going to find out….

#porchetta #nordicware #butcher #porkbelly #olive taken in Rock Island, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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3 days ago

#flashbackfridays #2024 #august taken in East Moline, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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5 days ago

How many people here know this girl, at this moment … I.S.59Q circa 2003 8th grade.
To think….this girl was bullied, called ugly; for being dark skinned, slim, and not what most boys wanted in junior high… lol by @iamchefkeys

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6 days ago

That gushy creamy ☺️😎😎🗝️ #mac #macandcheese #creamqueen #creamymac #cheesymac taken in Rock Island, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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9 days ago

Charred Okra
W/ Garlic Parm aioli
Chef Tip: Choose smaller, tender okra whenever you can. Larger, thicker pods tend to be more fibrous and can stay tough even after cooking.

Ingredients
* 1 lb fresh, tender okra
* 1½–2 tbsp EVOO
* Kosher salt
* Cracked black pepper

Heavy Garlic-Parm Aioli
* ½ cup mayo
* 4 large garlic cloves, finely grated
* ⅓ cup finely grated Parmesan
* 1½ tsp fresh lemon juice
* 1 tsp EVOO
* Cracked black pepper
* Pinch of salt

Method: Split the okra lengthwise, then toss lightly with EVOO, salt, and cracked black pepper. Place cut-side down over a hot open grill to get that deep char and color. Once beautifully blistered, move to indirect heat and continue cooking until the edges are crisp but the inside stays soft and tender.

For the aioli, mix everything together and let it sit for 15–20 minutes so that heavy garlic flavor really develops. Serve alongside the hot charred okra.

#okra #jessicabharris #theoriginals #veggie #recipes taken in Rock Island, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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13 days ago

Something new is taking residence in Moline. 🖤🥂

Beginning November 13, Chef Keys, In Residence officially begins at Pop the Cork, kicking off with the inaugural “A Seat at the Table”, an intimate four-course experience centered around food, culture, conversation, and connection. @popthecork1500

Only 26 seats at this table.

🎟️ Tickets are available now on Eventbrite.

So yes, I was drinking wine… but I was also thinking:
Wait until y’all see what I do with this room. 🖤🥂

11.13.26 | Pop the Cork | Moline
Chef Keys, In Residence. taken in Moline, Illinois by @iamchefkeys

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17 days ago