Local chef travels thousands of miles to serve hundreds

GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Stretch, the owner of Grinders, one of Kansas City’s hotspots, just got back from a trip to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

He took his recipes and cooking tools in hand.

"I have a love for the military to keep me free to be able to do what the heck i do in the world," said Stretch.

He went on a tour with America’s Chefs’ to cook for hundreds of troops all over the world. The group started in Norfolk, Virginia and made their way to Cuba.

"They just love anything American that we can give to them that they don't already have on base. It was just an opportunity to give something back because there is no way I could take orders and be in the military myself, I am anti war- but pro troops," said Stretch.

America's Chefs is as a nonprofit organization. Their goal is to work with the U.S. military and their families, here in the states and abroad to provide entertainment, education and boost morale through cooking.

He served close to a thousand men and women while he was there. He made pizza and BBQ ribs. He also let them taste a signature hot sauce. He met a few people from Kansas and Missouri, but no one from Kansas City.

The whole trip kept him away from Grinders and his family for a month, but he already has plans to go back. After the New Year he wasn’t to go to the Middle East.