Hey, I’m Steve Kelly — a numbers guy by trade who found out that the best things in life don’t always add up on a spreadsheet.

By day I’m a financial controller for a watersports company. I graduated from Central Connecticut State in 2005 with an accounting degree, and I’ve spent the years since in meetings and financial analysis. I’m good at it, and I like that work. But somewhere along the way I figured out that the part of my day I actually look forward to is the part where I get to stop counting things — and just cook.

Here’s a secret I’ve carried for years: I always wanted to be that guy. The one whose friends come over and won’t stop talking about the food. For a long time I was “pretty good for a backyard guy” — gas, charcoal, if there was fire involved I was out there making something happen. Then my buddies started raving about these Blackstone griddles, and they would not let up. I finally caved in April 2026 and ordered one online from Costco.com.

Best decision I’ve made in years.

The first thing I threw on it was sausage and peppers — grinders for the whole crew. My wife Sierra took one bite and looked at me like I’d been holding out on her. Maybe I had. We’ve been together since 2017, got married in St. Lucia in early 2023, and bought our place here in East Hampton, Connecticut back in 2020 — a quiet, woodsy corner of the state with great fishing and a big yard. She’s my favorite person to cook for and my most honest critic, which is exactly the combination you want.

That yard belongs mostly to Bronco and Gunner. Bronco’s our older guy — a brindle boxer mix, gentle as they come, a genuinely great animal. Gunner’s the little cattle dog-beagle mix: hyper, a little unhinged in the best way, with an overbite that makes him look like he’s permanently grinning. They get to roam free out there, and they’ve developed a deep professional interest in whatever’s hitting the griddle. Scraps from dad are the highlight of their week.

When I’m not at the flat top, I’m usually fishing, or — more often these days — on the golf course. I play in a Monday-after-work league, and in 2025 my partner Kevin and I took first place. There’s a trophy. I’m not above mentioning it.

But the griddle is the thing that stuck. After a day of meetings and financial analysis, there’s something about firing up that flat top that clears my head completely — no columns to reconcile, just heat and a little bit of instinct. The hibachi I made had Sierra raving. The French toast came out so perfect it might be the best I’ve ever had, mine or anyone’s. And I’m still learning, meal after meal, trying to get a little better every cook.

That’s why I started The Flat Top Feed — to put down what I’m figuring out as I go. Real recipes, honest takes, the wins and the ones that didn’t work. I’m not a chef. I’m just a guy in East Hampton with a Blackstone, a cold drink, and two dogs waiting for something to hit the ground.

Pull up a chair.

— Steve