Networking Night :: A Taste of Boston, co-hosted with TMA Northeast

Christopher Coombs
Owner & Executive Chef
Boston Urban Hospitality, Deuxave & Boston Chops At the mere age of 11, Christopher Coombs fell in love with the hospitality industry on the first day of work washing dishes in a local seafood restaurant on the North Shore of Boston. His passion and drive for success in the culinary world has led him to proprietorship of Boston Urban Hospitality which owns dbar, Deuxave, and Boston Chops.

Coombs pursued an education at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York, where his true talent began to shine. Upon graduating, he got his first taste of fine dining while working under award-winning Chef Ming Tsai at Blue Ginger in Wellesley, Mass. Soon after, he headed to Nantucket to work for Relais & Chateau Property Toppers at the Wauwinet. It was there that Coombs had the opportunity to impress Executive Chef Patrick O’Connell and was hired on the spot. O’Connell took Coombs under his wing and put him to work at The Inn at Little Washington, Virginia. During his time at The Inn, Coombs prepared special dinners for Laura Bush at The White House and for “Le Club des Chefs de Chef.”

With ample experience under his belt and a new perspective on cuisine, Coombs returned to Boston in 2005 in search of a restaurateur who shared his passion and vision for cuisine. In August of 2006, Coombs came in contact with Brian Piccini, owner of dbar, who presented his concept of a trendy and casual upscale restaurant in Dorchester. The duo joined forces with a focus on fresh, local, seasonally inspired menus and created Boston Urban Hospitality. Committed to sustainability, Coombs created an innovative rooftop garden at dbar to grow his own fresh ingredients. Coombs furthered his commitment to the restaurant by purchasing a home in the neighborhood so he could be fully encompassed in the community, representing his true dedication to the success of his ventures.

After gaining confidence as an Executive Chef, in 2010 Coombs opened his first restaurant, Deuxave, in Boston. Coombs’ cuisine at Deuxave is strongly rooted in the nouvelle techniques of contemporary French cuisine, married with the splendor of American ingredients in a refined setting. Since then, Coombs’ success has grabbed the attention of both local and national media, including an appearance on Food Network’s “Chopped” and recognition by Food & Wine magazine as a candidate for “The People’s Best New Chef in New England.” In early 2013, Coombs debuted his third concept, Boston Chops, with business partner Brian Piccini. The urban steak bistro has been named one of Food & Wine magazine’s “Best New Steakhouses,” won Best Steakhouse 2015 from Boston magazine’s coveted Best of Boston awards, and is a departure from traditional steakhouses where Coombs presents a nose-to-tail approach to beef on a menu that includes small plates of “rarely celebrated” cuts.

His impressive resume continues to grow as he was named Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30” for chefs in 2013. That same year, Coombs was named “30 Under 30” by Zagat, as well and he has recently also added the Massachusetts Restaurant Association’s “Restaurateur of the Year” for 2015 to his growing list of accolades. In the fall of 2015, Coombs competed in the “Forbes 30 under 30” cooking competition with all past and present honorees and took home the “People’s Choice” award. He has been the Hood Cream “Chef of the Year” for the past two years and just recently drafted an e-cookbook for Hood Cream called, “Chef Creations Inspired by Hood® Cream,” which is available online.

At all three of his Boston Urban Hospitality venues, Coombs continues to awe his guests with careful technique and uniquely prepared fresh ingredients. He focuses on providing a dining experience that is sophisticated in taste, yet casual and comfortable in setting. Having just scratched the surface in the world of hospitality, Coombs is excited to continue making his mark as both a chef and restaurateur.    

William Kovel
Chef / Owner
Catalyst Chef Kovel opened Catalyst in 2011 with the goal of creating a restaurant that is about what the guest wants, an approach shaped by his experience working for master chefs, a Michelin-star restaurant and a five-star hotel. Chef Kovel marks his growth as a chef and restaurateur through his time at Jardinière under Chef Traci Des Jardins in San Francisco; running the kitchen as Michael Schlow’s sous chef at Radius in Boston; a stage at Orrery in London; and as Chef de Cuisine of Aujourd-hui at Four Seasons Hotel Boston. The resulting culinary style focuses on a commitment to the freshest local ingredients, an unforgiving level of attention to proper French technique and an hotelier’s approach when it comes to guest satisfaction.

During his tenure at the Four Seasons, Kovel was recognized by Boston Magazine as one of a talented group of upcoming "Chefs to Watch;" was honored by Chaine des Rotisseurs and achieved the AAA Five Diamond Award. Since opening Catalyst, Kovel studied and passed the first two levels of the Court of Master Sommelier exams, making him the only Boston area chef with a sommelier designation.

A native of West Hartford, Connecticut, Kovel received his degree in Culinary and Hospitality Studies at Southern New Hampshire University. Kovel lives in Milton with his wife Sara, daughter Grace and sons Owen & Everett. Outside of the kitchen, Kovel can be found reading, traveling and most importantly, fishing.

Awards and Recognition

• Level II Sommelier, Court of Master Sommeliers
• AAA Five Diamond Award
• Chains des Rotisseurs
• "Chefs to Watch," Boston magazine