In 2006, a then-hopeful Presidential candidate came to Austin for a fundraiser in his honor. Long-time local catering favorite Word of Mouth needed a custom-looking, service-oriented coffee + gelato bar. As a restaurant guy and contract caterer, Kenneth was hired to fill the niche, knowing Word of Mouth and their expectations well.

What resulted is a long-lasting relationship, extending beyond to other catering friends, wedding and event planners, public and privately owned local businesses, venues...the list goes on.

RISER now includes the original espresso and gelato bars, custom-blend and traditional drip coffee, hot chocolate and hot tea and has created chai bars as well as Italian soda stations. The newest venture is RISER Cold Brew, to be distributed wholesale in early 2015.

Kenneth is a native Texan with family roots going back as far as the 1800’s. He graduated with a degree in Hotel + Restaurant Management from the University of Houston. A career in coffee started at an Italian-based cafe with Kenneth pulling espresso shots. With a few years experience under his belt, Kenneth headed west to hone his talents in Austin, his home since 1999.