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About Chef Brad
Chef Brad Kilgore was born and raised in Kansas City, Kansas and this is where his interest in the culinary arts began. At an young age, he attended the renowned Broadmoor Technical Center and continued his education at Johnson and Wales University. He accredits his early interest in cooking to times in the house while his parents were working (Father/Engineer, Mother/Medical Field) and he wanted something a bit better to eat, so he started cooking it himself.
His career took off after his move to Chicago, where he worked at 3-star Michelin-rated, Alinea, under Chef Grant Achatz as well as 3-star Michelin-rated, L2o, under Chef Laurent Gras. As Executive Sous Chef, Kilgore opened EPIC in Chicago, which was named one of food-critic John Mariani’s Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurants of 2010.
Kilgore then made his move to Miami in 2011 where he worked at Azul in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Azul was awarded 5 Stars by Forbes Travel Guide under his guide in 2013, the first restaurant to achieve this in Florida’s history. His success continued at the St. Regis Bal Harbour, as Executive Chef under Jean George Vongerichten at J&G Grill. His team was given 4 Stars from the Miami Herald, the only restaurant in years to achieve such status.
In 2015, Kilgore opened his first restaurant Alter in the art-focused Wynwood district of Miami. He created a progressive American menu garnering national and international recognition. He highlighted Floridian ingredients and served an exquisite 15-course tasting menu. The wine program was placed in the Top 100 in America by Wine Enthusiast several years in a row. Alter received 4 stars from the Miami Herald, making Kilgore the only Chef in the history of the publication to receive the award two times. Alter was named Restaurant of The Year by Eater Miami, featured in San Pellegrino’s World’s 50 Best as a “Diners Discovery” two times. Kilgore was named Best New Chef in America by Food & Wine Magazine and nominated for multiple James Beard Foundation awards including Rising Star Chef of the Year and Best Chef South. Alter that year was also named a Best New Restaurant of the year by Esquire Magazine from Jeff Gordinier as well as Eater National.
He continued his career opening Brava by Brad Kilgore, a contemporary Italian restaurant within Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center, and then the first two restaurants in partnership with Craig Robins and the Design District. Kaido, a Japanese-inspired cocktail lounge that served unique drinks by World 50 Best Bars award recipient and renowned mixologist Nico de Soto, as well as Ember, a wood-fired American bistro.
Post Pandemic in 2022 he started his own company as Kilgore Culinary Group with national and international expansion plans.
As Culinary Director & Partner, he also currently oversees the restaurant and catering operations at the incredible Concours Club . Verge is a modern American restaurant, located at the private members-only racetrack & resort at The Concours Club. Here he serves the world’s elite with spectacular one off wine dinners as well as his daily restaurant offerings and world class catering and events.
On Miami’s world famous South Beach Kilgore Culinary heads the current The Raleigh (SHVO) food & beverage offerings in partnership with Rosewood Hotels. KCG has also been placed as the Food & Beverage partner of the first ever Rosewood Residences in the United States, located in Hillsboro Beach, FL which is slated for a 2027 opening, where they will be designing all of the F&B menus and offerings.
In 2024 the Kilgore Culinary Group has begun its international expansion, the first of which opened this spring in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. The concept CIMA is a wood fire Josper Oven driven elevated steakhouse that has taken the region by storm with its world class design, rooftop location, and delicious culinary creations. Next, slated for 2025 is OCN Resort located in Puerto Escondido Mexico where KCG had designed and created multiple different restaurant concepts ranging from an open fire concept embracing the incredible local ingredients of Oaxaca and an omakase inspired restaurant showcasing the regions seafood.
The Kilgore Culinary Group’s current projects are happening at the world famous Trans America Pyramid in partnership with SHVO who is known around the country for his company's dedication to luxury and the revitalization of important American buildings. Chef Kilgore will be creating and launching three concepts in San Francisco this Summer/Fall of 2024.