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Levy acquires a minority stake in Boka Restaurant Group

The restaurant group is parent to concepts by chefs Stephanie Izard, Michael Solomonov and more

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

October 3, 2022

2 Min Read
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Levy has acquired a minority stake in Boka Restaurant Group, the two companies announced on Friday. Boka Restaurant Group is led by Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz along with a group of chefs that includes Giuseppe Tentori, Stephanie Izard, Chris Pandel, Lee Wolen, Gene Kato, Daniel Rose, and Michael Solomonov.

“I’ve been a huge fan of Kevin and Rob for a long time, and the more I’ve come to know them, the more impressed I am with what they and their team have built,” said Andy Lansing, CEO of Levy, in a release. “They are among the best in the business, and I can’t think of a better partner to move forward with as we create the next chapter in our collective stories.”

Levy was founded as a restaurant in 1978 in Chicago and has grown to be one of the largest companies for food and beverage experiences at stadiums and entertainment venues, along with several James Beard award-winning and Michelin-starred restaurants.

“Finding a partner that is both strategic and symmetrical to your values is difficult,” said Boehm in a release. “Levy is a perfect match.”

Boehm and Katz were named Best Restauranteurs in America by the James Beard Association in 2018, 16 years after founding Boka Restaurant Group. Katz and Boehm opened their flagship restaurant, Boka, in 2003, which has earned consecutive Michelin stars since 2011.

Boka Restaurant Group has grown to more than 20 distinct concepts throughout Chicago including Girl & the Goat, Swift & Sons, Momotaro, GT Prime, Alla Vita, Duck Duck Goat, Little Goat, GT Fish & Oyster, Swift & Sons Tavern, Boka Catering, Cira, Lazy Bird, and Cabra. Most recently, the group has expanded to California with Girl & The Goat Los Angeles, Cabra, and forthcoming Café Basque, and in New York with Laser Wolf Brooklyn. Plans for continued growth include several new openings on the horizon, according to the company.

About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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