First To Table
Apply Generously
TL;DR - There’s a difference between saying you care and showing it.
At Kinzie, we’ve always believed in applying generously. Not just our sauce — but time, effort, and appreciation where it matters most. Especially when it comes to first responders.
First responders don’t work for recognition. They show up when things go wrong. Regardless of whether it’s the middle of the night, a holiday, you name it. They run straight toward the emergencies most people never see up close. It’s steady, unglamorous, essential work and it deserves more than a passing acknowledgment.
“We’ve always believed food is one of the most human ways to show appreciation.”
What started as a small idea — cooking meals, and dropping off food for first responders — has grown into something bigger. Showing thanks at a single firehouse turned into many. One meal turned into thousands. Over time something became clear to us, this wasn’t a one-off gesture. It was something worth building into the fabric of the brand.
That’s how Kinzie Foods First Responders Day came to life, as a simple extension of the belief that food is one of the most human ways to show appreciation.
We’ve had the privilege of cooking for firefighters, supporting crews on the front lines and working alongside people who make service look effortless, even when it’s anything but. This is our way of meeting that effort with something equal in spirit.
And we’re always trying to spread love. If you’ve got first responders in your community you want to recognize, tell us about them. We’ll do what we can to support them.
Because generosity shouldn’t be limited and appreciation shouldn’t be skimped on.
Apply generously.
Walter Kinzie
Kinzie Foods
Become a Host
Apply here to feed your community at a first responder station near you. After signing up we'll contact you on how we can help amplify your event.
Kinzie lives where grit meets the city, bold heat, real smoke, no shortcuts. Made for cooks who improvise, eat with their hands, and never wait for permission.
Not just for brisket. These sauces fire up everything from smash burgers to cast iron cauliflower to tacos off the tailgate.
Breaking the rules has never tasted this good. Welcome to modern frontier flavor.
