dad about town
JUSTIN KENNEDY BY MADISON VOORHIES
Wife: Becca Child: Josephine (18 months) Occupation: General Manager at Parkway Bakery & Tavern Hobbies: Working on Boats, Boating, Visiting classic restaurants in new towns
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From someone who never thought they’d become a dad, I think everyone needs to experience it.
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WHAT DOES A NORMAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? JUSTIN: When I’m here on the job, I live upstairs, and I get down to work around 7:30. I’ll look online and see what orders and parties we have coming in. I walk the restaurant in the morning while it’s quiet and nobody’s here, and the place is clean. I get the restaurant set up for everyone, just making sure the AC is running and the lights are on. My mother also lives upstairs, and she’ll meet me down here. I’m a member of a little gym on the street, and I’ll go there for about 30-45 minutes, get a little exercise, get my mind straight, and get out for a little bit. When I show up at nine o’clock, everybody else is showing up. When [there are] people everywhere, moving, prepping, I know if I didn’t come here earlier and get all that premeditation done, I’d be walking into a hornet’s nest. We open at 10, but we usually get a bunch of big orders from 10 to 12, and then W hen Justin Kennedy isn’t eating, sleeping, and breathing all things po’ boy related, he’s a loving husband, a devoted father, and a man who pours his heart into everything he does. He and his wife have a unique, true Louisianian love story: they met during a po’ boy competition in 2017 where both of their family businesses competed for the title of Best Po’ Boy in Louisiana. Both bustling shop managers now divide their time between New Orleans and Lafayette, but Justin never misses a chance to call his wife and daughter throughout the day, even if it’s just for a quick chat. His passion for people and his community shines through in every interaction, and his love for his daughter, Josephine, is a testament to the kind, compassionate person he is. Whether he’s greeting customers with a warm smile or guiding his daughter with a nurturing hand, Justin embodies the essence of dedication and love in both his personal and professional life.
12 to 2 is our lunch-dinner rush. I’m pretty much in the kitchen walking around whenever we’re busy. I’m never stagnant. I’m never sitting in the office. If I am, it’s just for a second, just to orchestrate. I make sure the staff is comfortable. I make sure no one’s overworked while still being productive. I make sure I talk to every single employee every day, even if it’s just a simple, “Hello, how you doing?” I’ll come in [the office] in the afternoon, check my list, and think, “What do we need to do to get forward?” After that, we close up. [Throughout the day], I’m talking to my wife and my daughter. We’re always on the phone,
or we do a lot [of] FaceTime. WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOUR CAREER?
JUSTIN: That’s an easy one: meeting people. I love people. I love to be around folks. I like to be around the hustle and
14 OCTOBER 2024 | NOLAFAMILY.COM
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