His provincial coach Rob Walter took the call initially and handed it on to the Otago all-rounder.
"The coach was on his mobile and he said to me, ‘The phone’s for you’," Kitchen explained.
"I was thinking, ‘oh hell, what’s going on’. I had just helped [Walter] out with an electrical fault he had at his house and thought something might have happened."
Someone was about to get a shock but not from any dodgy wiring. It was Larsen and he had good news.
Kitchen was named in the Black Caps twenty20 side for the three-game series against the West Indies.
It is the opportunity the 33-year-old has been waiting for since making his provincial debut in 2008.
"I was trying to hold it in [the excitement] because I had to go and warm up with the lads," Kitchen said.
"This is something that my family and I have been working towards. They’ve made a lot of sacrifices to help make my dream come true, so as a family it is nice to get those rewards."
Kitchen will play for Otago in its twenty20 match against Canterbury at Molyneux Park today but it is hard not to think ahead to the opening twenty20 international against the West Indies in Nelson on Friday.
"It is all a bit unknown. I don’t know whether I’ll play or where I will be batting.
"All I can do is try to play to my strengths. That’s why I’ve been picked, so I’ve just got to keep doing what I do well."
Since transferring south from Auckland in 2015-16, Kitchen has been a revelation for Otago.
He scored four first-class hundreds last season, including a rapid double century. He has worked really hard on his bowling to the point where he has moved from a batsman who bowled a bit of left arm spin to a genuine all-rounder.
His ability to hit the ball hard and add some real impact in the middle order convinced the selectors to provide him with a late opportunity.
"I think there are more explosive batting options in this squad than ever before," Larsen said.
"When you add Anaru Kitchen to the likes of Colin Munro, Martin Guptill, Glenn Phillips and Tom Bruce, there’s a lot of threats throughout the batting line-up.
"Anaru has performed superbly for Otago the past couple of seasons and with his ability to bowl as well, he brings a lot to the side."
Black Caps left-armer strike bowler Trent Boult is being rested for the first two twenty20s, while Tim Southee will captain in the opening match in Kane Williamson’s absence. Guptill has returned from injury and will add punch at the top of the batting order, while Colin de Grandhomme will return to the squad once he is back in New Zealand. His father died and he is on compassionate leave.
Twenty20 squad
Tim Southee (captain 1st T20), Doug Bracewell, Tom Bruce, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptill, Matt Henry, Anaru Kitchen, Colin Munro, Glenn Phillips, Seth Rance, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Ross Taylor. Kane Williamson (2nd and 3rd T20), Trent Boult (3rd T20).
