The city of Memphis is packed with plenty of food options and many talented chefs, and one of them is on the Memphis Grizzlies coaching staff.
Bob Thornton is in his fifth season as an assistant coach with the Grizzlies, and while he’ll admit he’s no pro, he enjoys making meals often. And when he says cook, he doesn’t mean just make dinner from time to time. Instead, Thornton will sometimes meet with the city’s experts to discover what he should make next.
“I love to try new things and new recipes,” he said. “I try to meet some of the local chefs and talk to them about their ideas and how they make things and what wine pairings they go with. It’s a lot of fun.”
When someone is always discovering new recipes and trying new ideas, there can be a big sense of accomplishment when the food comes out and tastes exactly as it should. Other times, it’s the exact opposite, but that’s all part of the fun says Thornton.
“I’ve had some things that have surprised me and turned out better than I thought they would,” he said. “But I’ve also had some go the other way, where you’re ordering pizzas for dinner. It’s kind of a little bit of both.”
When Thornton is looking for new ideas, Memphis has no end of options for him to check out. However, he does have a few places he likes to go to, and one of those is Restaurant Iris. Chef Kelly English heads up the duties there, and also has some of his items featured at FedExForum in the Horseshoe Club on the Event Level.
Thornton said he likes restaurants like Iris, or Hog & Hominy, where they serve Italian cuisine, because the restaurants offer such creative cuisine, unique atmosphere and dining experiences.
After an 11-year professional playing career, eight of which were spent in the NBA, and more than 20 years of experience in scouting and coaching, Thornton has spent a lot of time on the road in different cities, which has allowed him to try different restaurants. Instead of allowing himself to fall into a rut, though, he says it’s more fun to try somewhere different on every trip and see all the different food options a city has to offer.
At the moment, he doesn’t have a favorite meal, but rather enjoys cooking what’s in season, something fun, or something that he can pair with a good glass of wine. Wine is another area of interest for Thornton, and something he wouldn’t mind turning into a career later on.
“That would be a miracle, but yeah it would be fun,” Thornton said. “Working in a winery would be amazing, but that’s a dream.”
When he’s not coaching or cooking, Thornton loves to be in the air. He has his pilot’s license and uses it as a chance to get away from things, which he finds relaxing.
“Flying is just amazing,” he said. “It’s a great situation to be up there controlling an airplane and cruising around. I’ve flown all over the West Coast. I’ve been in all sorts of airplanes. Anytime I can be in an airplane, I will.”
Piloting an aircraft comes with its own attention and responsibilities, tasking Thornton to always be aware of his surroundings and his aircraft. Despite that, he’s adamant that every trip up in the air is a fantastic experience and the views are always something to marvel.
“It’s kind of like driving a car, but you’re flying in three dimensions,” he said. “Anytime you’re in an airplane and getting a bird’s-eye-view – It’s amazing.”
With cooking, flying and wine being among his hobbies, Thornton has enough to keep him busy after his basketball days are done. He joked that when he’s finished, he’s going to own a vineyard and fly often, though it might get expensive.
“If we win the lottery, that’s going to happen.”