Page 30 - 03_April-2025

Ben Staley at
Next of Kin
Next of Kin will host a rotating “chef-in-residence” program.
Every few months, a guest chef (from Canada or abroad)
will create a feature menu.
The food menu features dishes designed to
complement the drinks, not overshadow them.
Chef Brett Barger, the former executive sous chef
who worked alongside Staley at Yarrow, helms the
kitchen. “You can order enough to leave full,” Staley
says. “But this isn’t a dinner spot. It’s a bar first.”
While Staley has moved away from the chef’s
role, he will work with the kitchen team to de-
velop menus and foster creativity. “My role in the
industry has changed,” he says. “Now, it’s about
mentoring the next generation.”
To solidify that vision, Next of Kin will host a
rotating “chef-in-residence” program. Every few
months, a guest chef (from Canada or abroad)
will create a feature menu, bringing new cultur-
al backgrounds and culinary approaches to the
kitchen (the first guest should start in April).
Next of Kin will also foster collaboration in the
city’s bar scene, bringing in guest bartenders (local
or from elsewhere) for short residencies and pop-
ups. “We really want to bring back more collabo-
ration in Edmonton, I think it will be good for the
restaurant and bar industry as a whole.”
The opening of Next of Kin marks a sort of
return for Staley, but also a new beginning.
“Yarrow was deeply personal,” he admits. “I never
wanted it to be about me, but it became that.
Now, Next of Kin isn’t the Ben Staley project. This
is a collective effort. Everything we do is ‘we,’ not
‘I.’ Next of Kin is about community.” Staley hopes
that Next of Kin is a reflection of experience,
growth and a fresh approach to what hospitality
can be. It’s a place where high standards meet
comfort, where a great cocktail doesn’t have to be
intimidating, and where the next generation of
chefs and bartenders can learn and thrive. ED.
30 EDify. APRIL.25