Buffalo Bills: Paul Jenkins

When Chef Paul Jenkins was 15, he landed a job manning the grill at a Buffalo hot dog stand. That was the beginning of a successful career as a Buffalo chef. And while the dishes he creates for TEMPO restaurant are a bit more eclectic, Jenkins remains as down-to-earth as that frank-slingin’ teen. Before opening TEMPO in 2005, Jenkins had been working as a quintessential Buffalo Chef for over 25 years. After getting his start at the venerable Rue Franklin West, he honed his craft at another venerable Buffalo landmark, Oliver’s Restaurant, before becoming Executive Chef of The Buffalo Club. He co-created and is managing partner TEMPO, a Mediterranean-Italianate restaurant that has helped breath new life into the downtown Buffalo restaurant scene. But if you asked Jenkins, you wouldn’t hear such hyperbole. “We’re having a good time,” is all the chef will say about the success of TEMPO. You almost expect him to ask how much “burn” you’d like on your dog. Paul has been a past participant and co-organizer of “Taste of the Nation” in Buffalo NY. He is an American Culinary Federation member and has supported numerous charitable endeavors in the Western New York market. He is the father of two boys Riley Francis, age 14, and John Paul, age 9. In his spare time he enjoys golf and Canadian summers with family and friends.