Interior of Chadwick’s Bar – the home of Syracuse chef Kaleb Schnell
Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) — Kaleb Schnell got his start in the food industry at culinary school in Providence, Rhode Island. That experience helped launch a career that took him all over the country.
The Syracuse native spent his postgraduate years traveling the nation and working in different types of food-related businesses. Schnell built his career in restaurants and food trucks in Providence; Nashville, Tennessee; and Portland, Oregon.
After years on the road, Schnell didn’t know exactly what to expect from the rest of his career. He found himself back in Syracuse, working at various restaurants in the area. Opportunity struck soon, though.
While working as the head chef at a Syracuse restaurant, its food truck became available for purchase. With a vision in mind, Schnell left his old job behind and bought the truck.
“That’s where I originally came up with the concept,” Schnell said. “It was supposed to be late-night food outside of a bar.”
Schnell first took his food truck to The Night Drop bar in Syracuse. That gave him the chance to debut his signature patty melts and fried chicken sandwiches.
As Schnell’s time and experience in Syracuse bars grew, so did his connections. A meeting with a Cazenovia farmer led to the creation of one of Schnell’s signature dishes.
The farmer, now a partner with Schnell, grows a special type of American wagyu beef. The meat comes from a crossbreed of American and Japanese cattle. When combined with Schnell’s experiences from across the country, his wagyu cheesesteak and several other dishes were born.
After moving on from his food truck, Schnell also said goodbye to The Night Drop. His goal shifted toward finding a more permanent home for his array of multicultural dishes.
“The big thing for me was just finding local beef to source for a Syracuse spot,” Schnell said.
It didn’t take long for Schnell to find that spot. He moved into Chadwick’s Sports Bar and Grill in February and hasn’t looked back. With a combination of wagyu cheesesteaks and other dishes he has learned throughout his culinary career, Schnell gives customers something new and original to try almost every night.
“We’ve been doing a bunch of different ideas. None of it is necessarily traditional,” Schnell said. “None of the food is necessarily a traditional take on any sandwich. We kind of have fun with all of it.”
Anyone interested in trying Schnell’s dishes can visit Chadwick’s in Syracuse’s Eastwood neighborhood. The bar is open every afternoon and evening, seven days a week.