Hailing from Puebla, Mexico, Rolando Flores is the youngest of 4 brothers. He took his culinary experience to Boston in 2007 where he worked his way up from prep cook to kitchen manager at the Max Brenner Chocolate Factory, aiding in their Philadelphia and Las Vegas openings. After 9 years, he continued to grow his career including management positions with Tavern in the Square, Stephanie’s on Newbury, Southern Kin Cookhouse, and Bootleg Special.

As Kitchen Manager of our Kendall Sq. and Harvard Sq. locations, Rolando splits his time between both. With the fast-moving pace of the mornings, he checks all the overnight smoked meat, leading his kitchen staff in preparation for taking care of our guests. He’s not afraid of jumping on the line to help the dishwasher or put deliveries away. His strong work ethic and leading by example make him invaluable to the Smoke Shop.

A little more about Rolando…

Favorite thing about BBQ: Doing big events and cooking bulk BBQ.

Favorite thing about working for the Smoke Shop: Learning the everyday process of smoking different meats.

Where you can find him on a day off: Home or on a beach with his toes in the sand, listening to classic rock.