Kevin Sousa (chef) facts for kids

Kevin Sousa is a talented chef and food expert. He works as a private chef and helps restaurants improve. He used to be the main chef and part-owner of a famous restaurant called Superior Motors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He also helped start other popular places like Salt of the Earth and Union Pig & Chicken.

Kevin Sousa's Culinary Journey

Kevin Sousa was born on November 21, 1974, in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania. He started his cooking career at the Duquesne Club. There, he learned important skills, especially in making sauces.

Early Career and Restaurant Ventures

After his early training, Kevin worked at several well-known restaurants. These included Kaya and Soba, Bigelow Grille, and Alchemy. He also helped as a consulting chef for Nine on Nine. Later, he decided to open his own restaurant, Salt of the Earth.

Kevin also has a company called naclpgh. This company helps other restaurants create new ideas and improve their menus. One of their projects was a taco restaurant called Yo Rita Taqueria. In 2012, Kevin and his team opened two more places: Union Pig and Chicken and Station Street Hot Dogs. Both were in the East Liberty area of Pittsburgh.

Awards and Recognition for Chef Sousa

Kevin Sousa has received many awards for his cooking. In 2004, Pittsburgh Magazine named him a "Rising Star Chef." His restaurant, Salt of the Earth, was also recognized. It was a semi-finalist for "Best New Restaurant" in the James Beard Award in 2011.

In December 2010, a national magazine called "The Week" gave a great review to Salt of the Earth. Kevin was named "Chef of the Year" by Pittsburgh Magazine in 2011. Food & Wine Magazine said Salt of the Earth had one of the "Ten Best Restaurant Dishes of 2011." The New York Times also noted his work in the farm-to-table movement in Pittsburgh. This means using fresh, local ingredients.

Kevin was a semi-finalist for "The People's Best New Chef" by Food & Wine in 2012. He was also a semi-finalist for "Best Chef: Midatlantic" for the James Beard Award in 2012.

Superior Motors: A Community Project

In 2013, Kevin started a special project for a new restaurant. He used a website called Kickstarter to ask people for money. This new restaurant was going to be called Superior Motors. It was planned for Braddock, Pennsylvania. Many people supported his idea. Over 2,000 people helped him raise more than $310,000. This money helped him create his New American style restaurant.

After some delays, Superior Motors finally opened in July 2017. It quickly became very popular. In its first year, Food and Wine Magazine named it one of the top 10 best restaurants in the country. Pittsburgh Magazine also called it the best new restaurant of 2018.

Recent Ventures and Future Plans

Superior Motors closed in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin Sousa is no longer involved with the restaurant. The owners have not yet announced if it will reopen.

In October 2021, Kevin opened a new restaurant called Mount Oliver Bodega (M.O.B.). It was located in Mount Oliver. However, in December 2021, Kevin and his wife, Meg Sousa, announced they were no longer involved with that restaurant either. Kevin Sousa continues to work as a private chef and consultant.