New to The Plains: 2kyles
Written by Dulcy B. Hooper
Photos by Callie Broaddus
When Colleen and Kyle Carnegie moved to The Plains in 2017, along with their three children and four dogs, they fell in love with the community and decided to make it their home.
“We just love the small-town feeling in The Plains and the wonderful people who live here,” Colleen says. “Kyle and I wanted to work in a business where we would have the pleasure of interacting with the community on a daily basis – making people happy with great food and great service.”
The Carnegies have been in the restaurant and hospitality industry for most of their respective careers. In addition to 2kyles, Colleen is currently president of La Prima Food Group Inc., located in College Park, Maryland. La Prima serves as the location of 2kyles’ bakery and production kitchen. Prior to that, she was director of operations for Ark Restaurants which includes such well-known restaurants as Sequoia, America, Center Café, and Thunder Grill.
Kyle Carnegie was also at Ark Restaurants, serving for many years as the director of catering. After becoming a realtor in the DMV area, he briefly put his culinary career on hold. “But his love of food and people has never waned,” Colleen recalls.
2kyles originated after a brainstorming session over lunch between Colleen, Kyle, and Kyle Vermeulen – the other half of the Kyle duo who is now 2kyles’ executive chef.
“We were throwing around a lot of different names and ideas,” Colleen remembers, “and we thought the name ‘2kyles’ was just kind of catchy and fun, even though it didn’t include me!” The team did not have a preconceived notion of what exactly 2kyles would ultimately become. “We just knew that we wanted to have great food, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere,” Colleen notes.
Originally from New York, Chef Kyle Vermeulen started cooking at a young age. His wide breadth of experience includes serving as executive chef at Four-Star Blue Moon Café on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands and numerous other restaurants across the United States and abroad – and even a stint as private chef aboard a yacht.
2kyles offers a daily menu of freshly prepared items available for pickup or dine-in. They also offer catering to go which can be ordered online, as well as event catering. With dishes like, mini calzones with house-made Pomodoro sauce, grilled peach and burrata salad with crispy prosciutto, and a short rib, aged cheddar, and barbeque bourbon sauce, there is a little something for everyone. The local response to 2kyles has been extremely rewarding according to Colleen. “We have been accepted and supported by the community in a way that we never could have imagined. People have traveled from far and wide to dine with us and have been so generous in sharing their experiences.”
Left: Kyle and Colleen Carnegie outside their shop in The Plains. Middle: Great service is a cornerstone of 2kyles business philosophy. Right: 2kyles is quickly becoming a local favorite.
Colleen said that she and her husband are hoping to be an integral part of The Plains community and are committed to giving back to a variety of groups in need. “It is essential to our mission that we make a difference,” she says. The Carnegies support numerous charities, focusing on hands-on, grassroots work.
“Kyle and I are people who love people,” Colleen shares. “We love working in a business where we have the pleasure of interacting with people on a daily basis and making them happy with great food and service.” Colleen describes herself and her husband as “foodies” who love to cook and create in the kitchen. “Our goal is to exceed our clients’ expectations and become a place they regularly turn to for a sandwich, a glass of wine with a friend, or a home gathering.” ML
2kyles is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day but Tuesday. Their address is 4305 Fauquier Avenue, The Plains, Virginia, 20198. For more information, call 540- 253-2078 or visit 2kyles.com.
This article first appeared in the August 2022 Issue.