Restaurateur of the Year - Bill Taibe

BILL TAIBE

Executive Chef & Owner Don Memo | Kawa Ni | Norwalk Art Space Café | The Whelk Bill Taibe developed a passion for food at an early age while working after school at the local butcher shop. As a young chef, he quickly advanced from Sous Chef to Executive Chef and in the years to follow he would help to develop, design and run many successful restaurants in Fairfield County.

Taibe opened LeFarm, his first restaurant in Westport in 2009 and quickly expanded his culinary presence with the addition of The Whelk, a seafood and oyster bar and Kawa Ni, a Japanese inspired pub.

Don Memo, inspired by Chef Taibe’s respect and love for Mexican culture and cuisine, opened in the summer of 2020. Housed in the historic original Westport Town Hall, Don Memo is at the epi-center of downtown Westport.

Most recently, Taibe opened The Art Space Café. Partnering with The Norwalk Art Space, a philanthropic organization on a mission to educate young adults and celebrate local artists, while creating a free destination for fine art and music in the city of Norwalk. True to Taibe’s and Norwalk Art Space’s founder, Alexandra Korry’s vision, the cafe highlights local Connecticut culinary artisans and products.

Since 2009, Taibe’s restaurant group has evolved from a staff of 6 to over 90 employees. He has created employment opportunities and programs, such as “Kitchen Share’’, to increase the quality of life for his employees. The “Kitchen Share’’, a 3% surcharge on all food sales, is directly dispersed to all kitchen employees on a weekly basis. Since its implementation in early 2017, numerous other restaurant groups are adopting his program across the tri-state area.

Bill lives in Weston with his wife Rachel, sons Caeden and Oliver and his two dogs Boone and Goose.