staff
Jen and Ryan Hidinger, 2013
Jen Hidinger-Kendrick
Founder
Chief Gratitude Officer
Jen, along with her late husband, Ryan Hidinger, is a founder of Giving Kitchen. She advises on brand awareness and community involvement while providing a personal account in telling the story of GK to audiences near and far. As the spokesperson for GK, Jen has received the Community Hero Award from the Atlanta Braves and Fox Sports South, has been featured on the covers of Entrepreneur Magazine and Atlanta Magazine, was the recipient of the 2022 Claes Nobel World Betterment Award, is a graduate of Leadership Atlanta Class of 2024 (and is an active alum) and participates as a LEAD Atlanta Mentor.
As co-founder of the acclaimed Staplehouse Restaurant, Jen was a key member of the team that earned Bon Appétit magazine's Best New Restaurant in America in 2016 and a nomination as Best New Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation. She joined the staff of GK full-time in 2019, the same year she shared the stage with GK colleagues to receive the James Beard Foundation's 2019 Humanitarian of the Year award on behalf of Giving Kitchen. Two of her proudest moments include accepting the James Beard Award in 2019 and seeing Giving Kitchen recognized as one of Fast Company’s Brands That Matter in 2022.
Jen received a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communication from Indiana University in 2004 before moving to Atlanta. Prior to founding GK, she served as a manager at Seed Factory, a prominent children’s boutique, and held the position of Account Manager at Austin Kelley Advertising where she managed relationships with clients such as Piedmont Hospital, Papa John’s Pizza, and Hands On Atlanta.
Jen lives in Atlanta, GA, with her husband John Wayne Kendrick, their son Blue, and their dog Goonie. Her passions include design and travel, dogs, food and beverage, and the art of tidying.
Her most cherished quote is:
“Anything long-lasting or worthwhile takes time and complete surrender.” — Ryan Hidinger