Kevin Boehm

Kevin Boehm is an American restaurateur who is the co-founder of Boka Restaurant Group and the Independent Restaurant Coalition. With his business partner, Rob Katz, he operates 22 restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City. Kevin, along with his business partner, won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur in America in 2018.

Early life and education

Boehm was raised in Springfield, Illinois. He attended the University of Illinois.

Career

In 1993 Boehm opened his first restaurant on money he had saved as a server and bartender. He opened restaurants in Seaside, Florida, Springfield, Illinois, and Nashville Tennessee before founding Boka Restaurant Group with Rob Katz in 2002. Boehm has been featured as a judge on two episodes of Top Chef[1] and one episode of Top Chef Canada.

As a writer, Boehm has had pieces published in Esquire Magazine,[2] McSweeney’s,[3] Plate Magazine,[4] and the Chicago Sun Times. He is also a contributing writer for Fast Company.[5]

During the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, he co-founded and was involved in leading the Independent Restaurant Coalition,[6][7][8] an industry group founded during the pandemic to lobby the federal government for relief for restaurants and their employees, which culminated in $28.6 Billion in grants being given out by the federal government.

Honors

In 2018 Boehm won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur,[9] after being a finalist in 2015, 2016,[10] and 2017.[11] Boka Restaurant has been awarded one Michelin star for nine consecutive years.

Personal life

Boehm is married to Cortney Moon and has three children.

See also

References
  1. "MAY 1, 2020 'Top Chef' Recap: Which Chef Can Pitch the Best Restaurant Concept?". Robb Report.
  2. "I Furloughed 1,800 Employees the Day After My Mom Died. I've Never Needed Restaurants More". Esquire.
  3. "Wanted: Restaurant Savior, No Experience Necessary". McSweeney's.
  4. "If You Want to Save Restaurants, You Need to Become the Squeaky Wheel". Plate Magazine.
  5. Boehm, Kevin (2022-04-23). "How I learned to stop worrying and embrace my imposter syndrome". Fast Company. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  6. "His mom died the day before he closed 23 restaurants. Now he's on a mission to save the industry he loves". USA Today.
  7. "Restaurants Are Like 'a Boat With 15 Holes in It'". Bloomberg.
  8. "Restauratuer says industry is realizing coronavirus effects will last 12-18 months". Fox News.
  9. "James Beard Awards: Boka Restaurant Group, Parachute chefs among big winners in Chicago". Chicago Tribune.
  10. "The 2016 James Beard Award Nominees". James Beard Foundation.
  11. "The 2017 James Beard Award Nominees". James Beard Foundation.
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