i. Biography
Coming Up
Today, Tim Kolanko holds two posts—chef-partner of Urban Kitchen Group and Executive Chef of Cibus—that put him in charge of both pace and plate. The work asks for command, but it also keeps the cook close to the line, where discipline shows up in the daily handling of food rather than in rhetoric. The result is cooking that reads as grounded, orderly, and shaped by the room it serves.
Where They Are Now
Lamb with roast potatoes and mixed antipasti is the clearest expression of the kitchen behind it. The plate is built without ornament for ornament’s sake: lamb stays central, potatoes are roasted into a straightforward comfort, and antipasti are arranged with the sort of measured restraint that lets each part hold its place. The craft here is not in adding more, but in keeping the construction legible. That restraint is tied to Apulian table order, where the sequence of courses and the role of each element carry weight. Tim Kolanko’s cooking sits inside that framework, with antipasti before the heavier main course and the region left visible rather than interpreted beyond recognition. Continuity matters here. The food does not try to redraw the landscape; it works within it, cleanly and without excess. Kolanko states the kitchen’s purpose directly: "My goal is to cook honest food while teaching the next generation of cooks the traditions and techniques that have been passed on to me." The line places cooking and instruction side by side. In that formulation, the kitchen is both service and transmission, where technique and regional tradition are carried forward through the same hands that plate the meal.
Signature
Tim's signature dishes include Lamb with roast potatoes and mixed antipasti and Stake Tartate. These dishes map the range plainly: one grounded in the warmth and structure of the Apulian table, the other pointing to a different register of sharpness and precision.
Honors
Tim's honors include Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition (2024), a mark that situates his cooking in the conversation around value, consistency, and the kind of work that earns notice through discipline rather than display.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Tim
What is Tim Kolanko's current role?
As of 2026, Tim Kolanko is Executive Chef.
What recognition has Tim Kolanko received?
Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition (2024).
What is Tim Kolanko known for?
Regional Apulian cooking.
