A White Knuckle Ride.

That’s probably the best way to describe Bennie Kendrick’s journey. 

He’s the proud owner of Kendrick BBQ, a Central Cali. staple with a cult following and more than 228K Instagram followers. 

 

Bennie's inspiration for cooking started after a tragedy struck hard at home. His brother unexpectedly passed away at the young age of 37. 

So, he bought his own and, six to eight months later, he began to master the art of perfectly grilling, searing and smoking meat. 

And so, Kendrick BBQ was born. 

Things pretty much sky-rocketed from there. Bennie started posting his creations on Instagram and had a couple thousand followers in just a matter of months. 

After a couple years of consistently gaining popularity on social media, he left his day job to become a spokesperson for Traeger Grills, Messermeister Knives, and Snake River Farms. His reverse-seared ribeyes are legendary.  Bennie has had the opportunity to cook for the likes of his community, including local law enforcement, and even celebrities like Mark Wahlberg. 

 

Bennie also just happens to be one of the original Hart & Huntington fans. 

Bennie has “Kendrick” tattooed across his knuckles. He also has the H&H logo on his left hand which was inspired by Carey Hart's hand tattoo. 

He got the logo inked when he made the trip out to the H&H Vegas shop during the recession. He and his wife of 25 years didn’t have a lot of money at the time, but it seemed like a necessary rite of passage for Bennie to get it done. 

He has an impressive collection of H&H gear from way back when Carey was just getting started. We’re talking vintage tees, DVS shoes with the four-bar logo stitched on the side, house slippers, button-downs—the whole gamut. 

 

Carey has since become a follower of Kendrick BBQ on Instagram and the pair have hit it off through regular DMs. Bennie even walked Carey through how to prepare a Thanksgiving turkey on the grill one year. 

It’s probably no surprise that Bennie continues to visit H&H to get tattooed. His arms are pretty much covered now, so he’s working on a backpiece that’s about 60 percent done. Just like the name across his knuckles, this one’s got a lot of meaning behind it, too. 

 

Most of his ink is dark with very little color. 

 

Bennie is probably one of the most genuine, hardworking dudes you’ll ever meet. 

Safe to say he’s found his way—and then some. People recognize the Kendrick BBQ name all over the world. The same goes for his rescue dog, Tillie, who often makes a guest appearance on his Insta feed. 

His advice to aspiring grill masters.