Kevin Meehan

The Path

Training at Johnson & Wales University set the baseline, but the craft was built in layers: first in a local fried chicken joint in Long Island, New York, then as an apprentice at L'Alban Chambon in Brussels, Belgium, then back in Long Island at Mirabelle, and later in Los Angeles kitchens including L’Orangerie in Los Angeles, California (from 2000), Bastide in Los Angeles, California (from 2000), and Patina in Los Angeles, California (from 2000). Kevin Meehan’s route shows how different formats teach different fundamentals — speed, repetition, precision, and the ability to adapt technique to room and service. Today, Kevin runs that experience through two Los Angeles addresses: Kali (since 2016) and KŌAST Melrose (since 2025), where the work sits at the intersection of control, consistency, and front-of-house awareness.

The Work Today

Ownership at Kali deepened in 2019, when his role became owner and Executive Chef. At a Michelin-starred restaurant, that combination means the kitchen and the business are not separate jobs; the standard is set daily, and Kevin Meehan is responsible for both the menu’s execution and the room’s direction. KŌAST brings that same discipline into a more casual frame. “With KŌAST, we wanted to create a casual, welcoming space where guests can enjoy incredible seafood, an ambitious wine list, and a fun atmosphere,” Kevin Meehan said. The brief is plain and operational: seafood, wine, atmosphere, and welcome. It places the restaurant in a different register from Kali, but still under the same measure of care around how a dining room is built and how guests move through it.

Signature

Kevin Meehan is the chef behind Michelin-starred Kali Restaurant.

In Their Words “With KŌAST, we wanted to create a casual, welcoming space where guests can enjoy incredible seafood, an ambitious wine list, and a fun atmosphere.” “My seafood comes from cherished memories of fishing weekends and family dinners.”

Acclaim

Kevin's honors include Michelin star.