Kevin Belton facts for kids

Kevin Belton (born around 1960) is an American chef, TV host, author, and teacher. He is famous for his amazing New Orleans cooking. You might know him from his cooking shows on PBS, like New Orleans Cooking with Kevin Belton and Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen. He also teaches cooking classes in New Orleans. Fun fact: Kevin Belton used to play professional American football!

About Kevin Belton

Kevin Belton was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, around 1960. His family has a mix of backgrounds, including African, Native American, French, and English heritage. His mom was a school teacher whose family came from Martinique. His dad's family was from Bordeaux, France.

Kevin grew up in the Uptown part of New Orleans. He went to Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary, Brother Martin High School, and then Louisiana State University.

From Football to Food

Before becoming a chef, Kevin Belton played college football at Louisiana State University and Xavier. Sadly, injuries ended his football career when he was at a training camp for the San Diego Chargers.

Kevin's love for cooking started very young, around age six. He would help his mom and grandma in the kitchen. The very first thing he learned to cook was scrambled eggs! His mom and grandma taught him how to make delicious Cajun and Creole dishes. He learned so much from them that he became a self-taught chef.

Kevin's Cooking Career

Kevin Belton started working at the New Orleans School of Cooking. He managed the store there. Eventually, he began teaching cooking classes himself. He has taught at the school for more than 20 years.

Becoming a TV Chef

Before he became a TV chef, Kevin loved watching cooking shows. He enjoyed watching famous chefs like Julia Child and Paul Prudhomme. In 1992, he helped out with a fundraiser for his local PBS TV station. He read auction lists live on TV. This led to him hosting pledge breaks, and then he got his own Saturday morning cooking show.

In 2016, Kevin Belton's first big show, New Orleans Cooking with Kevin Belton, started on WYES-TV.

His second national TV show, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, began in 2018. This PBS series shares recipes from his mom and grandma. It also features traditional local dishes. The show highlights how New Orleans is a "melting pot" of cultures. It even includes dishes that mix Greek, South American, and Vietnamese flavors.

In 2019, Kevin Belton won an award for "Best Social Media" from the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters. His PBS show, Kevin Belton’s New Orleans Kitchen, also won the "Uniquely Louisiana Award". In April 2019, his show Kevin Belton's New Orleans Celebrations came out on PBS. A cookbook with the same name was also published.

Today, Kevin is the Morning News Chef for WWL-TV. He also creates TV segments for the station about local food. Since 2021, Kevin hosts "Cookin' Louisiana" on WYES, which is a public TV station in Louisiana.

Kevin's Cooking Style

Kevin Belton is an expert in New Orleans cooking. His recipes are made to be easy to follow. He wants to make cooking fun and not scary for people. He doesn't use a food stylist for his cookbooks or TV show. This means the food looks just like you would make it at home!

Kevin's Life Outside the Kitchen

Kevin Belton lives in New Orleans with his wife, Monica Belton. He actually doesn't cook much at home! Some of his favorite places to get takeout food in New Orleans are Royal China, Venezia, and Central Grocery. He also loves to read, especially mystery novels.

Kevin's Health Journey

Kevin Belton decided to make some healthy changes in his life. He worked hard and lost over 130 pounds in two years. He shared that he exercised every day with his wife and their puppy, Cookie Monster. He also ate meals with fewer carbohydrates and kept his meal portions small.

Books by Kevin Belton

• with Rhonda Findley. Kevin Belton’s Big Flavors of New Orleans. Layton: Gibbs Smith (2016). ISBN: 1423641574
• with Rhonda Findley. Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen. Layton: Gibbs Smith (2018). ISBN: 1423648943
• with Rhonda Findley. Kevin Belton's New Orleans Celebrations. Layton: Gibbs Smith (2019). ISBN: 1423651553
• with Monica Belton. Kevin Belton's Cookin' Louisiana. Layton: Gibbs Smith (2021). ISBN: 1423658388