Introducing Kitava’s New Culinary Director
Hiring for a leadership position in the restaurant industry is never easy.
You need someone with the technical skills to earn respect from the team, the emotional intelligence to manage people, and the grit, hustle, and determination to do whatever it takes to succeed.
It’s also crucial to find someone whose passions align with your company mission. A true partner in your efforts to make the vision you have for the world a reality.
Kitava was fortunate to find this rare mix of skills, managerial talent, and mission alignment when Preethi R joined our team as Culinary Director earlier this year.
Preethi brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Kitava that has already begun to yield great improvements in our operation. She’s worked in kitchens that emphasize seasonal farm-to-table cooking (Primo), as well as several innovative upscale dining concepts (Burnt Ends, Bar Tartine, The Riddler).
As you’ll see from her answers in our Q&A below, Preethi joined Kitava because our mission to nourish people and communities through real food deeply resonates with her. We could not be more excited to have her on the team, and look forward to all her future contributions!
Bryan Tublin, Owner & Co-Founder
Read the Q&A below to learn more about Kitava’s new Culinary Director, Preethi R!
Introduce yourself! What’s your background, and why have you chosen to pursue a career in food?
I got into food by accident. I have heard of chefs with stories of cooking since they were little but a career in food was definitely not a path I consciously took. I was born and raised in Singapore, so I was always surrounded by delicious and diverse foods that I took very much for granted. Like many people that age, I knew what I didn’t want to do but not necessarily what I did.
I ended up finding my way to culinary school mostly using it as a stalling effort before deciding on what to do next. Instead, I fell in love with cooking. I travelled incessantly, staging at restaurants during my trips, in pursuit of delectable treats and new friendships.
I did end up finding my way into incredible restaurants like Anti:Dote@Fairmont, Burnt Ends, Primo, Bar Tartine, The Riddler to name a few where I met mentors who shaped the way I cooked and led a team. Eventually, I ended up consulting for restaurant concepts and learned more about restaurant operations and the business side of things. I have not turned back since!
What impact do you hope to have on the world in your role as a Chef?
I want to make nutritious meals accessible to everyone. I am passionate about food equity and want to be at the forefront of our evolving food systems.
Why Kitava? What resonated with you about the concept before joining as Culinary Director?
I love that Kitava was not just a marketing pitch but had Bryan’s personal journey and passion reflected in the core values of the company. I loved that the mission was straightforward, very people and community focused with ingredients that were clean and honest. I mean real food with ingredients you can pronounce without any excessive embellishments- how could I say no to that?
What can we expect from Kitava’s menu moving forward?
There will be more freshness, some takes on classic American dishes and more diversity!
How do you see the food industry evolving over the next 10 years? 50 years? What role do you see Kitava playing in this evolution?
I see the future as an opportunity to restructure what it means to be a restaurant. Gone are the days where a French brigade system structured a kitchen. I see Kitava breaking the mold of a traditional restaurant work space with creative solutions.
I also see Kitava continuing to provide accessible, affordable and nourishing meals by playing a large role in equitable food systems through investing our time in education, involvement and engagement of communities we are in.
How do you hope people feel after eating one of your meals?
I think about food and our emotional connection to food like the movie ‘Like Water for Chocolate.’ While not as exaggerated, I do feel cooking for someone is one of the best forms of showing gratitude and love. I want people to feel taken care of when they eat at Kitava.
What does living a healthy life mean to you?
Being unabashedly myself! It means I am committed to my well being both physically and mentally but in a way that best enables me to be the best version of myself. I don’t think a healthy life is stagnant. To me, it is about having fun, being flexible, continuously learning and listening.
Anything else you’d like to share with the Kitava community?
While I am absolutely excited for my journey at Kitava, it truly does take a village to feed communities. Thank you for your continued support of our wonderful teams. We look forward to serving you real food daily!
