KP’s Kitchen Carries on Restaurateur Legacy

By Liz Clearman

erry Pauly is part of a restaurant dynasty, if you will. Owner of the popular local restaurant KP’s Kitchen in the heart of Spring Branch that recently celebrated its third anniversary, he’s had a passion for the industry since before his adult teeth popped out. His exposure to the restaurant business started in his childhood when his father, Fred Pauly, owned and operated several renowned Houston food and beverage concepts in the ‘80s and ‘90s, including Blue Ribbon Meat Packing Company, Metropol Club, and Square Meal Cafe. Kerry, not letting the apple fall far from the restaurantheavy family tree, ventured into the industry in the late ‘90s, opening Drink Bar with his best friend. It experienced such a smashing success that he soon opened a second watering hole, Bar Fly.

After graduating from the University of Houston Hilton School of Restaurant and Hotel Management, Kerry expanded his reach in the hospitality industry in 2006 by taking over as general manager at the original Benjy’s restaurant in Rice Village. Working under owner Benjy Levit, Kerry expanded his repertoire to include the skills necessary to run a multimillion-dollar restaurant concept. Two years later, Levit promoted Kerry to managing partner and put him in charge of opening and running Benjy’s on Washington from concept to launch. That partnership lasted until 2013 when Kerry relocated to Austin to work with prepared meal mainstay Snap Kitchen, where he was the director of training and culture from 2013-2016 and oversaw operations for over 40 locations across Houston, Austin, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Chicago. No small feat, even for someone with his background.

These days, Kerry is thrilled to be back in his hometown, living in Memorial and enjoying family time with his bonus twin teenage daughters. One of their favorite things to do together is travel and make lifelong memories. “My fondest memory on one of our family vacations by far is Ashford Castle in Ireland. Traveling keeps us fresh and it opens our eyes to new places, cultures, and cuisines. I come back inspired by a dish I thoroughly enjoyed and will ask my chef to try to recreate it for our menu.

Travel also provides a sense of gratitude. The world is a beautiful place,” said Kerry. The Pauly family is also lucky to find peace in their tight-knit neighborhood, which Kerry claimed is like an oasis inside the city. “The people make this neighborhood. We have cultivated so many relationships with our neighbors, great families we’ve met through school and lacrosse, and our Wednesday Community Nights at KP’s Kitchen.” It’s probably not a stretch to say that he’s a staple at neighborhood cookouts.

“KP,” as he’s affectionately called by friends and family, keeps busy — because owning a restaurant isn’t enough on its own — corralling twin teens with a full lacrosse schedule, various community and charitable organization commitments, and travel. Kerry’s personal dance card is also full; he’s on the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s International Committee as well as the board of directors for the Greater Houston Restaurant Association. Above all, he feels like he’s living his dream selling good food and being a neighborhood resource for people in the ideal location of Spring Valley. “We chose Spring Branch/ Memorial because it’s perfect. We live here, we dine here, and we love our communities. This is such a beautiful area and so accessible to all of our great city resources. The neighborhood really takes care of its own and supports local businesses. The residents really care about the community,” Kerry noted.

If it’s not abundantly clear already, Kerry loves what he does, taking care of community members and making a difference in people’s lives through food and hospitality. His vision — both literally and figuratively — “is to create a neighborhood hub with good food and wine, and a place to gather with your favorite people in an inviting and comfortable atmosphere that is just as welcoming whether you want to drop by after a Little League baseball game or an elegant dinner before a concert,” he said. It would be hard to argue that he hasn’t achieved exactly that. His over 50 dedicated employees love to serve the residents of Spring Branch and Memorial, and whether you’re coming for a business meeting or after a sporting event with a big group of sweaty kiddos (and exhausted parents), the entire team is grateful for the patronage of this community. “I liken this to the old-school restaurants and taverns of Europe where the owners were always there to welcome all the neighborhood guests, friends, and family,” said Kerry.

KP’s Kitchen is located in Spring Valley at 8412 Katy Freeway, suite 350. They specialize in delicious, down-to-earth American cuisine with a unique, clientele-built wine and beverage list (yes, they take note of what their patrons bring in — they also offer BYOB for beer and wine — and cultivate those lists largely based on what they see. I’ve only been once but I see my fave, a New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Bonus points for that). Popular menu items include hand-cut steaks, Gulf redfish, the KP burger (two bistro burger patties topped with American cheese, smoked bacon, and dijonnaise and served with hand-cut fries, natch), and their multitude of fresh salads.

It’s an elegant-casual concept that welcomes the entire family with kids eating free on Tuesdays, prime rib night on Wednesdays, and steak night on Thursdays. Brunch is served every Saturday and Sunday from 11 am-3 pm, sourcing food from other local businesses like Bagel Bob’s, Blue Horizon Wholesale Seafood, and the Bread Man Baking Co. Every Wednesday, KP’s Kitchen participates in a community night, where they pick a different charity in the area that receives 10% of that day’s sales. During the month of August until Labor Day weekend in September, the restaurant will be a part of Houston Restaurant Weeks, which gives a percentage of each meal sold at participating establishments during the month to the Houston Food Bank. Given Kerry’s propensity for giving back to the community, this should come as no surprise.

Kerry and his team encourage our readers to pop over, have a made-from-scratch meal, and say hi. For more information and to view the full menu, please visit kps-kitchen.com.