Bobby Hicks
Growing up in a traditional 80s home in Central Florida, Bobby Hicks experienced most of the meals of convenience common to the time: Casseroles, TV Dinners, and frozen staples that could be quickly prepared at any moment. At a young age, he was well aware that he wanted to invest a part of his life in cooking, simply to learn how to cook food better than what he grew up eating.
It wouldn’t be until he moved to NYC in his early twenties that the opportunity would present itself to learn more about cooking food. Upon entering NYC, he was fortunate enough to get a job at the iconic SoHo Grand Hotel in Manhattan, working as a Room Server. The proximity of his position to the kitchen allowed him to ask the cooks questions about cooking and eventually - upon the arrival of the hotel’s new Executive Chef, Paul Gerard - Bobby had the chance for something more.
Chef Paul gave Bobby the tools to learn to cook properly while answering any questions he had. He was a mentor and a friend, and later his boss, when Bobby began working for him at the exclusive SoHo House NYC. From there, Bobby learned how to work with a team, execute a station on the line, and even lead the banquet division for the many large parties held there.
Working in the back of the house was enjoyable, but Bobby’s personality always shone brightest when engaging with a guest. Ultimately he moved away from the kitchen to focus on bartending, where he worked at several of the world’s best cocktail bars, even creating drinks that were later published in the New York Times. But, when Milk and Honey closed their doors in 2013, Bobby walked away from the cocktail world to focus on content creation.
Over a decade later, Bobby has mastered the art of creating captivating videos and shooting beautiful photos with his partner, Keiko Lynn. The two of them are known for their love of vintage clothing, midcentury design, and second-hand shopping while bringing those interests to their audiences. For the better part of the last four years, Bobby has tirelessly recreated hundreds of recipes from hundreds of vintage cookbooks and is excited to share his favorite updated recipes for all to see and try for themselves. He has built his audience from scratch to nearly 300K followers across his platforms and continues to see regular growth daily.
Recently, Bobby was a contestant in Season 4 of the hit Gordon Ramsay series Next Level Chef, making it to the second to last episode against some of the best chefs in the competition. Being one of the first chefs chosen for teams, Bobby showed strength in the competition despite lacking as many formal years of culinary experience as some of the other chefs, saying “I learned everything I know from reading books, trying things out, and failing often.” His strong connection and future collaborations with his mentor, Chef Nyesha Arrington, and Chef Gordon Ramsay are just the start of a very exciting career.
He hopes to educate others and show that a simple recipe can be delicious with fresh ingredients, technique, and a little extra salt.
RETRO RECIPES: DINING THROUGH THE DECADES
Forthcoming from Countryman Press, June 2026
Retro Recipes
