Kevin Gillespie is an amazing chef, author, former Top Chef contestant and all-around cool guy. His Red Beard Restaurant group includes the award-winning Gunshow and the newly opened Slabtown in Atlanta and Revival in Decatur. Gillespie’s group also owns Gamechanger, located on the western end zone of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, serving his iconic “Closed on Sunday” chicken sandwich. If all of that wasn’t epic enough, Gillespie was a 2022 James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur finalist and a finalist in the sixth season of Bravo’sTop Chef, being voted the “Fan Favorite” contestant for the season.

We had a chance recently to hang out and talk life, cooking and health with Kevin. Watch the video above to hear about how he has been using CBD in his daily life. He believes finding balance amid his hectic schedule is key to his success in work and life, and it was great to get some tips from him.

Kevin was also cool enough to share with us his favorite treats, CBD infused Warm Banana Pudding- a modern take on his grandma’s beloved recipe:

Adapted from Fire in My Belly. Copyright © 2012 by Kevin Gillespie with David Joachim. Published by Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Warm Banana Pudding

By KEVIN GILLESPIE

INGREDIENTS

2 cups half-and-half

2 cups whole milk

1 vanilla bean pod, split

1½ tsp vanilla extract, divided

2½ cups sugar, divided

8 large eggs, separated

1 cup flour

1 tsp salt

6 Tbsp butter, cubed

1 (12-oz) loaf lb cake, sliced ¼ inch thick

½ cup strong brewed coffee

8–9 very ripe bananas, peeled and cut into ½-inch coins

½ tsp cream of tartar

2.5 ml unflavored CBD tincture

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a large saucepan over medium-high, combine half-and-half, milk, vanilla bean pod and ½ tsp extract. Cook 4 minutes or until bubbles start to form around edges; remove from heat. Fish outvanilla pod. Use a paring knife to split pod and scrape out beans; add to milk mixture. Discard pod.

In a large bowl, whisk 2 cups sugar and yolks 1 minute or until very thick and pale yellow. Sift in flour; add salt. Stir to combine. Slowly whisk in ¾ cup milk mixture. Whisk yolk mixture into pan. Return pan to medium heat; cook 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter, 1 cube at a time, until incorporated. Blend with an immersion blender 1 minute. Press pudding through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any remaining lumps.

Arrange pound cake in a single layer on a baking sheet. Place in oven 6 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; turn slices. Toast 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; brush both sides with coffee.

Spoon about 1½ cups pudding into bottom of a 2-quart deep casserole dish. Layer pound cake and bananas on top. Repeat process, ending with a layer of pudding.

In a small bowl, whisk remaining ½ cup sugar and cream of tartar. Place egg whites in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat 2 minutes or until thick and frothy. With motor running, gradually add sugar mixture. Add remaining 1 tsp extract; beat until soft peaks form.

Mound meringue on top of pudding; spread to cover evenly and seal at edges. Use back of a spoon to swirl meringue into peaks. Bake 5 minutes or until peaks are browned. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.