Get to know: Chef Cody Kramer, Executive Chef, FC Cincinnati
As FC Cincinnati heads into the Major League Soccer playoffs as the number one seed, we sit down with Chef Cody Kramer. Cody is a Cincinnati native and FLIK’s Executive Chef at the FC Cincinnati training center. Read on to learn more about the “secretive” start to Cody’s tenure with FLIK, the team’s approach to performance nutrition, and what it’s been like to feed this season’s Supporter’s Shield winners.
FLIK Hospitality: Tell us a little about yourself and how long you've worked as a chef.
Chef Cody: I started my career in the front-of-house of an Italian restaurant downtown. After a couple of years, I worked my way into the back-of-house. It was a casual, fine dining place and I worked alongside the owner and executive chef. In the span of ten years, I became his sous chef, then his corporate chef to help train and open other restaurants. I was ready for a change of pace when FLIK called and said there was a position with FCC.
FLIK: Wait. Did FLIK really call you and say, “Hey, we have a job.”?
Chef Cody: Yes! Well, I put my resume out there on Indeed.com and I got a call from a FLIK recruiter. I didn’t know when I interviewed that it was for an MLS team.
FLIK: I feel like that would have been a major selling point! When did you find out?
Chef Cody: I did my chef test at the [Indianapolis] Colts. At the time, I still hadn’t been told that it was for a professional team, but I kind of picked up that it might be. A couple of days after the chef test, the district manager called and said, “They liked the food you put out. Your next step is an on-site interview at FCC.”
FLIK: Wow! Were you surprised… nervous… ? The interview obviously went well.
Chef Cody: I was surprised, but it was a good surprise. I’m from Cincinnati and I like soccer. When the club was in the USL [United Soccer League], I took my family to a few of their games. I’ve been the chef here for three years now, so, obviously, we’ve all become superfans.
During my interview with Dan McNally [Vice President of Soccer Operations], we spoke about what we each wanted out of the café. Obviously, we wanted quality food. He asked me what kind of experience I wanted, and I said I wanted it to feel like a community—a place where the players can come and separate from “work;” where they can talk, laugh, bond with each other, and relax. It took help from the FCC staff and FLIK too, but toward the end of the 2022 season and into 2023, the café started to feel like a warm, friendly, community—one family, one team.
FLIK: What's different between working with professional athletes versus the restaurant world?
Chef Cody: There’s chaos when you're making food for 300 people per night. Managing that was always fun, but also a bit hectic. Here, it's more consistent. You know who you're cooking for. You have the same amount of people for breakfast and for lunch. It's more personal because you get to see the same guys every day. You get to know them—what they like and don't like—and it makes my job easier.
There’s also the nutrition aspect. You never know what the guys are eating at home. There’s a mindset that we can control two of their meals per day, so we make sure that the two meals they eat here are as healthy as possible.
FLIK: Did you know a lot about nutrition for athletes coming into the role or was it a learning curve?
Chef Cody: A little bit of both. I was an athlete in high school and then played pick-up basketball and football in college. And I was a runner, so I inherently can connect the dots. I know how carbs translate to energy for training and protein is for recovery, electrolytes for hydration. What I didn’t understand, was how the menus are built around the training days. Now I get it. We build meals differently around heavier training days versus lighter days.
In the beginning, I worked with the FLIK dietitian, writing menus and using FLIK’s guidelines around menu writing for athletes. On the job, I’ve learned so much from Gary [Director of Sports Performance]. Now, they trust me to have complete creativity within the guidelines of their training schedule.
FLIK: What are some of the player favorites?
Chef Cody: The big ones this year are baked chicken parmesan, alfredo, mac & cheese—those two are more for a cheat day—beef brisket, and rice pilaf. They love rice pilaf. And anything salmon. If we put salmon on the menu, they devour it. All of our dressings and sauces are made in-house from scratch and they appreciate that touch too.
FLIK: Do you ever get good questions from the players?
Chef Cody: Well, if I see them look at something funny, I wonder, "Do they not know what it is?" or, "Have they never had it?". We have players from a lot of different cultures. One of the guys told me that he'd never seen brown rice until he got here. He only wants white rice, so we always have white rice available for him. Sometimes, some of the players ask how I made something. I’m always here to answer any of their questions or help them with recipes or techniques. That's the fun part.
FLIK: What's your favorite part about this job?
Chef Cody: Food and nutrition plays a crucial role in performance. We had no cramping this week, so they're eating, training, and hydrating right. Hearing feedback like that helps us reassure that we're doing good and makes us feel like we’re part of the team. It’s very rewarding. It's been a great experience.
FLIK: Do you ever travel with the team?
Chef Cody: I typically travel to every away trip. I usually bring snacks on the plane for them—a mix of things that I prepare and packaged snacks. Once I get to the hotel, I meet with the catering team and chef to review menus, do a quality check on what they’re preparing and the ingredients they’re using, making sure everything tastes the ways the guys like it, and help the players navigate the buffet, especially those with dietary restrictions or very specific palates.
FLIK: Obviously, the team is having a stellar season. Tell us what it’s been like leading up to and then winning the Supporter’s Shield?
Chef Cody: I would say it’s kind of a surreal feeling. When you’re in the middle of the season, you just feel very in-the-moment. You’re just going. You try to find moments with the players to appreciate and recognize what’s going on. Our FLIK team has also gotten a lot of gratitude throughout the process. We help to feed them for performance, but the players have put the time and discipline into following the program and it feels good for everyone to see it come full circle.
FLIK: Anything else you want to share with us?
Chef Cody: I definitely want to mention my family. The guys joke around here I either love my job or hate my family, but I love both. I usually try to find some time to golf. And I try not to cook when I’m at home.
+++
At FLIK Hospitality Group we believe in great food, great service, and great people. Our wellness first approach ensures our food supports healthy and delicious choices, specially curated by our team of culinary experts and registered dietitians. At FLIK, we believe in seasonality in sourcing our ingredients and providing a customized approach to the culinary and hospitality needs of each client. Our dedication to providing quality hospitality service is unparalleled in the industry.
Have feedback or questions for our team? Email us at flikblog@compass-usa.com.
Interested in working with us? Apply today!