- May 7, 2024
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Chet Henry, Palm Coast's lead landscaper, is perhaps best known in the city of Palm Coast for the skill he wasn't originally hired for: Working a barbecue grill.
Henry has grilled for some of the city's and Flagler County's biggest events: Fourth of July Celebrations, Rock 'n Ribs, citizens' academy graduations.
And wishes he could grill even more.
"He’s just the best person — will do anything for you — and he’s an excellent cook. He does barbecued chicken; he does a spicy, kind of a Louisiana-type sausage, where he adds peppers and his own sauce. ... He does a killer roast. He does a lot of spices. It’s very, very good."
— TERRY JARVIS
"I think it would pull us more close together," he said "It’s something about when you eat, when you sit down to the table and you eat."
Terry Jarvis, office manager for the city's utility department, says she's known him about 30 years.
"He’s just the best person — will do anything for you — and he’s an excellent cook," she said. "He does barbecued chicken; he does a spicy, kind of a Louisiana-type sausage, where he adds peppers and his own sauce. ... He does a killer roast. He does a lot of spices. It’s very, very good."
And landscaping and grilling aren't all Henry's done with Palm Coast.
"There's not too many things I haven’t done with the city," he said. "I went from streets to parks all the way down to [certified pool operator] of a swimming pool, confined spaces, irrigation — you name it, I've been there. I've been a part of all of it."
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Henry was born in Flagler County in 1962. His dad was one of the county's first black law enforcement officers, a foot patrol officer for Bunnell.
When Henry's not working — often he's doing something for the city seven days a week — he fishes, rides a Harley and goes to church on Sunday, often twice: Once at Parkview Baptist, once at Epic Church.
"I think it keeps you balanced," he said. "At least, it keeps me balanced. Grounded."
Before coming to work for the city of Palm Coast, in 2004, he worked with horses on a ranch, earning the nickname "Cowboy" — and spent some time driving a truck and working for the city of Deland. He has four kids, two of them grown.
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Landscaping for a living in Florida comes with certain risks.
The other day, Henry came up on six black snakes. Snakes like that have struck at his extra-high, snake-resistant boots a number of times.
And then there are the hurricanes, clearing the roads of downed trees and limbs.
When city staff are working those 24-hour days for emergencies, he's the one who cooks for them.
"During 24-hour time when we were working, the first two hours, we have to man the stations, but we’re not allowed to go out on the road," Jarvis said. "And in the meantime, he’s doing all the cooking; he’s getting everybody fed, just making sure everybody has a meal."
There's also a lighter side of the job.
"I love Arbor Day, when we pass out the trees to the citizens in this area," Henry said. "I like giving trees out … I name the tree, and I say, 'Call the tree this name, take care of the tree, love the tree.'"
And, he added, "What I love is when ... you got people from all over talking about how beautiful Palm Coast looks, and how nice it is and how they’re going to move here because they like the whole atmosphere of the city."
Henry's latest passion is working with the prisoners who come from the county jail.
"We're averaging 12,000 square feet a day of weeding, trimming, just wth my six [inmates]," he said. "The neon sign [at I-95 and Palm Coast Parkway], the area that was overgrown — the same six went in there, and you’d then it was 40 guys that went in there. They did it in eight days. I’m so proud of them. They humble me every day."
Sometimes, he hears them talking about what they're doing, like one man he overheard a while back.
"He said, 'We don’t just do ditches; we’re landscapers.' And they’re proud."
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Henry started learning grilling from his father as a kid.
Then, in his truck driving days, he delivered for a barbecue place outside Gainesville. He asked questions, and started picking up tips.
He first started cooking for the city at Fourth of July ceremonies, then for citizens' academy events.
The city helped him design a grill, custom welded from an old underground tank.
"This grill’s perfect," he said. "An amateur can get on that grill, and it will be seasoned from the smoke that I've got."
For the last citizens' academy class, he cooked boneless chicken breast, sausage, chicken wings and slabs of ribs.
When he retires, Henry plans to have a food truck.
"And Palm Coast would have some real good smoked meat," he said.
