“I try to create trends rather than keep up with them.”
Brad Kilgore ’06
B.S. Culinary Arts Chef and Owner, Alter Culinary Director, the Adrienne Arsht Center (Brava by Brad Kilgore) Miami, Florida
“I try to create trends rather than keep up with them,” says Brad Kilgore ’06. “One thing that has helped me accelerate my career is my creative outlook on cuisine and restaurants — ingenuity is what drives me. But it has to taste good; I always say, ‘delicious first, everything else second.’ ” This sensitivity and ability to stay ahead of the game has allowed Kilgore to live outside the lines where he’s able to create what he calls “food with no boundaries.” His hard work at Alter and Brava, his two
Miami restaurants, is certainly pushing him to the top. He recently received a semifinalist nod for the Rising Star Chef of the Year award from the James Beard Foundation. Last year he was named Best New Chef in America by Food & Wine magazine. At 30 years old, Kilgore is a veteran in the kitchen — he got his start as a dishwasher at a diner when he was only 11 years old. From there he was hooked, taking on jobs at many different kitchens, including fast-food restaurants. But it wasn’t until high school — at the Broadmoor Technical Center in Kansas City under chef and mentor Bob Brassard — that he fell in love with the industry. “It was an accelerated culinary program that was recognized as one of the best in the country,” he recalls. “I learned a lot and it’s where I got the itch for fine dining and becoming a chef.” Over the years, Kilgore has carved a place in the world of progressive American cuisine. “I want the food to stand out on its own and be something new and creative, fair-priced and purchased from quality local sources,” he adds. Looking forward, Kilgore envisions expansion. “I definitely want to be a restaurateur,” he says. “There are a lot of different types of cuisine that I’d like to cook. As a chef, you never stop learning. The sky’s the limit and there’s certainly room to grow.”
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