i. Biography
James Beard Award finalist Kevin Binkley has traveled a long arc: from a first job at TCBY at age 14 near Washington, D.C, through sous-chef posts at French Laundry and The Inn at Little Washington, to a 20-seat Phoenix bungalow opened under his own name in 2016. The route turned through Arizona, music study, culinary school, Cave Creek, Carefree, and finally Binkley’s in Phoenix, where the work is intimate, technical, and unmistakably his.
Beginnings
Binkley grew up near Washington, D.C, and restaurant work arrived early. Arizona first drew him for music, not cooking. The early professional years included two demanding sous-chef posts. He was formerly a sous chef at French Laundry, and he was also formerly a sous chef at The Inn at Little Washington, Virginia.
The Rise
The Beard recognition gives Binkley’s career its national shorthand: James Beard Award finalist. More specifically, he has been a James Beard Foundation Best Chef Southwest Finalist, a distinction that places his cooking within the regional conversation of the American Southwest. His own restaurants expanded that identity. Binkley became chef-owner of Binkley’s Restaurant in Cave Creek and Café Bink in Carefree, building concepts tied to his name and his way of working. The cooking itself centers on fresh local produce, used to create imaginative dishes. In his own words, "Our food is French-inspired, but the execution is very different. We create well grounded flavors with avant-garde technique and execution." That approach is technical without losing sight of fundamentals. On seasoning, he has been direct: "Salt. It’s so important to make things taste good—it's not just about making food taste salty, it's about bringing out the flavor in food."
Today
In 2016, Binkley opened his namesake 20-seat fine dining restaurant in a Phoenix bungalow. At Binkley’s in Phoenix, he serves as executive chef, a role that brings the arc back to a small dining room built around his own decisions. His work also extends beyond a single plate or service. The specialty attached to his career includes menu development, concept refinement, operational strategy, kitchen systems and layout, workflow optimization, and chef mentorship. There is a revealing tension in that scope: the chef who understands systems has also spoken plainly about restaurant operations. "I had a great staff, and I love restaurants and food, but I don’t love the day-to-day operations of the restaurant business." What remains consistent is the movement from first job to formal training, from sous-chef posts to ownership, from Cave Creek and Carefree to a Phoenix bungalow. The James Beard Award finalist title is not an isolated headline; it sits at the center of a career shaped by technique, produce, mentorship, and the discipline of a small room.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Kevin
What roles has Kevin Binkley held?
He has been chef-owner of Binkley’s Restaurant and Café Bink, formerly served as sous chef at French Laundry and The Inn at Little Washington, and serves as executive chef of Binkley’s in Phoenix.
What is Kevin Binkley doing now?
He is executive chef of Binkley’s in Phoenix and is associated with chef-owner work tied to Binkley’s Restaurant in Cave Creek and Café Bink in Carefree.
Where else has Kevin Binkley worked?
His career includes French Laundry, The Inn at Little Washington, Virginia, Binkley’s Restaurant in Cave Creek, Café Bink in Carefree, and Binkley’s in Phoenix.
