Bill Taibe

The Climb

At LeFarm in Westport, CT (from 2009), Bill Taibe’s approach took on its basic shape: menus, room, and service treated as one system rather than separate tasks. That line of work continued through The Whelk in Westport, CT (2012–2025), Jesup Hall in Westport, CT (from 2019), and Don Memo in Westport, CT (2020–2025), where pace, adaptability, and an eye for the whole operation stayed central. In each case, the craft sits in the same place: making a dining room feel thought through from the first decision to the last. Today, Kawa Ni has become the clearest expression of that method. Since 2014, Taibe has worked as chef and restaurateur there, and since 2025 he has been owner and operator of Kawa Ni Westport and Kawa Ni Denver. The throughline is continuity in practice: build the concept, keep standards tight, solve problems as they appear, and let one room sharpen the next without losing the energy that gives each a distinct pace.

Today

At Kawa Ni in Westport, Connecticut, and Denver, Colorado, the work still turns on the same pieces: concept, service, and staffing. Taibe’s role covers the visible and the less visible parts of the room, from shaping menus and setting the tone to keeping kitchen organization and service rhythm intact. Mentoring younger staff remains part of that structure, not an add-on to it; the kitchen works because the system works, and because the people inside it are brought into the cadence.

Signature

Bill's signature dishes include LeFarm, The Whelk, Kawa Ni, Jesup Hall, and Don Memo.

In Their Words “I feel that we approach food and kitchens the same way; organized, passionately, and effectively which makes it enjoyable to work together.”

Recognition

Bill Taibe has received James Beard Foundation, Best Chefs (2011).