Celebrity Chef Joins Basil Group

By COLlive reporter

Chef David Kolotkin, the famed Executive Chef of Prime Grill restaurants in Manhattan, will be heading up the Basil Hospitality Group in Crown Heights, COLlive has learned.

Chef Kolotkin, known for his upscale cuisine served out of New York’s famed Prime Grill restaurants, has joined as managing partner and chef owner of the Basil Hospitality Group.

In his new role, Kolotkin will be overseeing operations at Basil Pizza and Wine Bar, the anticipated new Meat Restaurant which is scheduled to open in October, as well as off-premise catering and the company’s future projects.

He will also be lending his expertise to the offerings at the group’s artisanal bake shop Bakerie, which along with Basil and Meat, is located in Crown Heights.

Owner Danny Branover says he is excited about his new partner, and the vast amount of experience he brings to the restaurants.

“Chef Kolotkin is known for his incredible talent creating upscale dining experiences,” Branover told COLlive. “This is really game-changing for the Basil Hospitality group.”

Kolotkin, who often appeared on TV shows as a celebrity chef, has described his cooking philosophy as “Delivering upscale cuisine which happens to be kosher,” and says that his culinary style has not changed from working at both non-kosher and kosher restaurants.

“I like to cook American food with local seasonal ingredients,” Kolotkin told COLlive. “I believe in using simple, high quality ingredients and elevating them, the only thing that changed when I moved to a kosher restaurant was the mindset. I still had a goal to make the best steak, not the best kosher steak.”