Bradley Kilgore
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Chef Brad Kilgore was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. His interest in the culinary arts began at an early age when attending high school at the renowned Broadmoor Technical Center before continuing his education at Johnson & Wales University.
His career took off after his move to Chicago, where he worked at three-star Michelin-rated Alinea under Chef Grant Achatz and three-star Michelin-rated L2o under Chef Laurent Gras. As executive sous chef, Kilgore opened Epic in Chicago, named one of food critic John Mariani’s “Best New Restaurants of 2010.”
Kilgore moved to Miami in 2011, where he worked at Azul at the hotel Mandarin Oriental, Miami. Azul was awarded five stars by Forbes Travel Guide in 2013, the first restaurant in Florida’s history. His success continued at The St. Regis Bal Harbour as executive chef under Jean-Georges Vongerichten at J&G Grill. The Miami Herald awarded his team four stars, making it the only restaurant that year to achieve such status.
In 2015, Kilgore opened his first restaurant, Alter, in Miami’s art-focused Wynwood district. He created a progressive American menu that garnered 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 also received four stars from the Miami Herald, making Kilgore the only chef to receive the award twice. Alter was named “Restaurant of the Year” by Eater, featured in San Pellegrino’s “World’s 50 Best,” and nominated for “Best New Restaurant” by the James Beard Foundation. Kilgore was named “Best New Chef in America” by Food & Wine and nominated for multiple James Beard Foundation awards, including “Rising Star Chef of the Year” and “Best Chef South.”
He continued his career by opening BRAVA, a contemporary Italian restaurant within Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center, and two restaurants in the Design District: Kaido, a Japanese-inspired cocktail lounge serving unique drinks by world-renowned mixologist Nico de Soto, and Ember, a wood-fired American bistro.
In 2022, Kilgore returned to Wynwood, where he helped define the Miami food scene with the opening of MaryGold’s, a Floridian brasserie for which the Miami New Times named him “Best Chef” in its “Best of Miami 2023” awards. He also oversees the modern American restaurant Verge at The Concours Club, a private automotive members club, and The Pavilion at The Raleigh in Miami Beach, a first–of–its–kind residential condominium sales pavilion offering bespoke meal services to ultra-high–net–worth clients on the site of the future Raleigh Hotel and Residences by Rosewood. Looking ahead to 2024, Kilgore will oversee all food and beverage at OCN Resort and Residences in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, including a signature restaurant featuring Oaxacan cuisine.
