ABOUT KINDRED

Rick Watson

Owner & Executive Chef

Rick Watson is the co-owner and Executive Chef of Kindred and the Oak Grove Market. He has been in the restaurant industry nearly 20 years, and has worked throughout his career in a variety of settings from country clubs to dining halls, high-volume restaurants to fine dining. His new-American style of cooking is anchored with steaks and seafood and incorporates global flavors along the way.  

Rick grew up with a love of food and cooking, and after graduating from UGA he went on to culinary school at Johnson & Wales where he made his hobby into a career. He moved to the North Decatur area a few years later, and began working with the Oak Grove Market, and started Kindred in spring of 2022. 

Rick considers himself a curious cook and loves finding new and exciting inspiration from around the world. At Kindred, he is proud to have created a diverse menu that will appeal to all types of people looking for a variety of dining experiences. 

Chaffraix Epstein

Owner & Operator

Chaffraix Rowles is a lifelong resident of the Oak Grove Community. Growing up in the family business of the Oak Grove Market, she developed a keen sense of service, community and true hospitality. After college she was a high school English teacher before leaving to care for her twin boys. She slowly began doing behind the scenes work for the Market, and in 2019 officially became a partner.

Her dream of creating the restaurant she always wished was down the street came to life in 2022 with Kindred. The restaurant is warm, welcoming and eclectic, and grounded in the ethos that strangers might just be kindred spirits we've yet to meet. Chaffraix's love for people and place is evident throughout the space, and she has greatly enjoyed being on the team that has brought this passion project to life. 

Ralph Catalan

Owner & Operator

Ralph Catalan has been with the Oak Grove Market since he was 16, and has served the community for over 20 years. As an owner/operator of Kindred and the Market, he feels fortunate that his work marries his two greatest passions: food and people. 

Raised by a military family in Mexico City, Ralph emigrated to the United States when he was 13. A strong work ethic was instilled in him at a young age, and that work ethic coupled with his love for the neighborhood has resulted in two thriving businesses full of customers who have become friends, and staff who have become family.

When he's not working, Ralph loves spending time with his children, working on cars, and going to the beach as often as possible.

Rick Adams

Owner & Operator

Rick Adams is an owner/operator at Kindred and has been in the restaurant industry for over 50 years, though he never intended to be. A native Atlantan, he was a college baseball player at Georgia State University poised to take over the family window treatment business when fate threw him a curveball. His family's business was in Virginia-Highland, and one day the owner of the bar next door mentioned that he was looking to sell. Rick borrowed the money from his dad and became the owner of Moe's and Joe's Tavern, which he still owns to this day.

Over the years, Rick has run a number of successful restaurants in addition to Moe's and Joe's, including Limerick Junction and Blind Willies, and the former Sportsmans' Grill at Callaway Gardens. He moved to Oak Grove in 2008 and fell in love with the Oak Grove Market, becoming a partner alongside his lifelong friend Ken Sears in 2010. He co-founded the Oakhurst Market in 2015, and in 2016 he opened Oak Grove's Kitchen Six with a group of his neighbors.

In 2022, Rick wanted to work with his partners at the Market, Ken, Rick, Chaffraix and Ralph to revamp the Kitchen Six space into an entirely new restaurant, and Kindred was born. Rick is beloved at Kindred, where he wears many hats, and a fixture in the neighborhood, where he lives with his family. His booming voice and affable demeanor ensure that everyone he meets leaves having made a friend.