Meet Chef Phil

Philip Kafka…………….Chef/Owner

Born to a family of celebrated Boston chefs, it is perhaps only natural that Philip Kafka himself has earned a reputation as one of the region’s top culinary artists and a respected expert on improving the quality of cuisine. Today the Massachusetts native is keeping quite busy innovating new menu ideas for various Boston restaurant concepts, helping to raise the bar on the quality and variety of many regional and international foods.

Philip’s great grandfather, Gaston Thierry, came to the United States from Villars les Blamont, France in 1900, he was a French Medal of Honor winner that had a passion for fine French cuisine.  He served as the Executive Chef of the Boston Statler Hotel and the famed Boston Algonquin club for over thirty years. Gaston was the founder and president of the Boston “ Les Amis d’ Escoffier Society” dedicated to the promotion of professional chefs and cooks. Philip’s other great grandfather Jean Jeton was Gaston’s competition in the Boston culinary scene as he served as Executive Chef of the Boston Copley Plaza and moonlighted as the Executive Chef of a secret and private dining room adjacent to the Copley Plaza under the sidewalk of Huntington Avenue. This infamous night spot called the “Jardin D’ Allah” had a special house made hooch during the prohibition that is still the talk of the town.

Philip’s grandfather George Etienne Thierry followed his father’s footsteps and began apprenticeship at a very young age. George served as Executive Chef at the Summerset Hotel Boston, and Ritz Carlton, his culinary journey was interrupted as he served in the Navy during WW 11 and was stationed in Okinawa. He was the president and Chairman of the Les Amis d’ Escoffier Society and Epicurean Club of Boston as well as being a major contributor to the Boston Food and Wine Society.

As a young boy, Philip had the opportunity to work closely with his grandfather, soaking in his family’s expertise and advice for creating impeccably presented dishes that feature only the best ingredients. Armed with such unique first-hand experience, he attended two of the world’s leading culinary education institutions, Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island and Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Institute in London.

Upon graduation, Philip became commis chef at Harrods in London, helping to oversee every department of its world-famous Food Court. While traveling throughout England, Italy, and France he had the opportunity to sample local cuisines and broaden his own culinary knowledge and experiences. 

Returning home, Philip spent two years as a rounds chef at the Boston Harbor Hotel in the 4-star Rowes Wharf restaurant. During a two-year stint at Marriott Food Services, he established new menus and worked with nutritionists to develop high quality foods with a healthy approach.  He recently spent time with Au bon Pain formulating new breads for their Artisan bread program and as research and development manager at Dunkin Brands corporate lab.

Over his 25-year career, Philip has served as chef for many prominent regional culinary events, including the Boston Harbor Wine Festival and the Charles River Regatta and has also appeared on several local television programs. He is a member and has affiliations with the Boston Les Amis d’ Escoffier Society, Epicurean Club, Research Chef’s Association, and the American Culinary Federation.