Kevin O’Donnell
Chef | Owner
Born and raised in Rhode Island, Kevin got his feet wet in hospitality at a young age working in a variety of mom-and-pop spots throughout high school, gaining experience from dishwasher to pizza cook. It wasn’t until he graduated that he truly stepped into the restaurant industry. Under the mentorship of Chef Walter Slater at Junction Pizzeria in Wickford, Kevin truly fell in love with cooking and the undeniable adrenaline of the kitchen.
While there, Kevin was inspired to enroll in the Johnson & Wales Continuing Education program which afforded him the chance to intern in Italy, an exciting opportunity to connect with his heritage and explore the country’s cuisine. After four months, he returned home to Rhode Island and worked alongside Chef Aaron Edwards at Trattoria del Corso in East Greenwich. Here, Kevin’s love for Italian food blossomed, but after a year he was pulled back to Italy. For two and a half years, Kevin fully immersed himself in Italian cooking and culture working under Chef Lorenzo Polegri at Ristorante Zeppelin in Orvieto, Umbria. Kevin left Italy to work at the Relais & Chateau property, Castle Hill Inn in Newport, and then to NYC to work at the Michelin-Starred Del Posto under Chef Mark Ladner. After NYC, Kevin moved to Paris and opened L’Office as Executive Chef where he garnered rave reviews and recognition both locally and internationally for the bistro’s melding of French and Italian cuisine. L’Office earned a Bib Gourmand award in the Michelin Guide, Best New Bistro in Paris by Le Guide Lebey, and was featured in American publications such as Bon Appetit and Eater.
In 2012, Kevin moved back to the States and was the Executive Chef of The Salty Pig in Boston where he developed its pasta and house-made charcuterie programs. Three years later he opened his first restaurant called SRV with co-chef and partner Michael Lombardi in the South End of Boston. The Venetian-style Bacaro and wine bar was an immediate success, earning a 4-star review from Boston magazine and a James Beard Award nomination.
Kevin now lives in Rhode Island with his wife, Sarah, and their son Ray. They own Giusto and Kevin is a co-owner of Mother Pizzeria with partners Lauren Schaefer and Kyle Stamps. He serves on the Board of Directors for the RI Hospitality Education Foundation and is a core instructor at Boston University in the Culinary Arts Program founded by Chef Jacques Pepin.