RESTAURANT STRATEGY | Chef Katie Button (ENCORE)
Host: Chip Klose
Guest: Chef Katie Button, James Beard Award Winner
Date: December 11, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode features a candid and insightful conversation with Chef Katie Button, whose journey from biomedical engineering to James Beard award-winning chef and restaurateur is as unconventional as it is inspiring. Chip Klose delves deep into Katie’s unique career trajectory, her approach to opening and operating a Spanish restaurant in Asheville, North Carolina, and her evolving vision for what “restaurant” means today. Katie shares hard-earned wisdom on building trust with guests, innovating revenue streams, and redefining hospitality and business strategy in an ever-changing industry.
Episode Breakdown
1. Katie Button’s Unconventional Path to Hospitality
[05:07–10:00]
- Katie began her career in academic science, earning a master’s degree in biomedical engineering from Cornell and Paris, nearly starting a PhD in neuroscience before realizing she was profoundly unhappy.
- “I had dropped out of this PhD program... The only job that I knew I could get in easy because I didn't have culinary experience was serving.” [11:48, Chef Katie Button]
- Reflecting on moments of joy in her life, she realized they always centered around food, influenced by her mother’s home-based catering business.
- With no restaurant experience, she went door-to-door in D.C. restaurants until the general manager at Jose Andres’ Café Atlantico/Minibar took a chance on her after a food knowledge quiz.
- “...Their hiring process...was able to look for passion instead of skills.” [11:48, Chef Katie Button]
2. Key Inflection Points: Passion Over Experience
[10:17–14:47]
- Katie highlights the importance of hiring and rewarding for passion and curiosity, rather than just skills—a theme echoed in Danny Meyer’s “51 percenters” philosophy.
- “You can’t teach someone to want to help someone...you can teach them to clear from the right. But you can’t teach them to care.” [13:22, Chip Klose]
- Her science background unexpectedly proved valuable with molecular gastronomy at Minibar, where techniques like liquid nitrogen were familiar.
3. Front to Back of House: Learning by Doing
[14:20–18:38]
- Transition to back of house was gradual—she 'moonlighted' in the kitchen, inspired by the scientific creativity of Minibar.
- Personal connection with Felix Meana, who later became her husband and business partner, was pivotal: “He told me, you have to come and work at this restaurant in Spain at El Bulli.” [16:10, Chef Katie Button]
- Katie worked two seasons at El Bulli, uniquely in both front and back of house—the latter made possible after demonstrating meticulous attention to detail.
- “I notice the little grains of amaranth are missing...Albert Adria overhears it, and he says, okay, you can come back.” [17:42, Chef Katie Button]
4. Building the Foundational Skills
[21:50–23:39]
- Returned to New York to train at Jean Georges (pastry) and then to the Bazaar by Jose Andres in LA for her first line cook position.
- El Bulli became her “culinary school,” teaching precision and rapid adaptation.
- “The best thing about places like that...is they have to teach you how to do everything anyway.” [22:55, Chef Katie Button]
5. Launching Cúrate: Market, Model & Mindset
[24:09–32:00]
- Chose Asheville for its creative, farm-rich community and accessible real estate; partnering with her parents (her father invested his retirement savings).
- “The cost of real estate in downtown Asheville was not that much at that time. And we were able to buy it...that has given us incredible security.” [27:09–28:17, Chef Katie Button]
- Emphasizes how ownership eliminated rent, stabilized their business, and was a lifeline during the pandemic.
- The first Spanish restaurant in an area unfamiliar with Spanish cuisine presented challenges: balancing authentic tapas with local produce (e.g., grilled trout).
- “We had to build trust...Now we can throw specials on of razor clams and people order them.” [36:35, Chef Katie Button]
6. Evolution of Concept & Hospitality
[31:02–37:23]
- The restaurant evolved with expansion, better-designed kitchen space, and a richer menu once the market’s trust was won.
- Restaurant service is “a dialogue,” and the best restaurants continually adapt.
- “Great service is a dialogue...it's constant evolution.” [33:53–34:42, Chip Klose]
7. Beyond Four Walls: Diversified, Scalable Business
[37:23–45:41]
- Cúrate is now a brand extending trips to Spain, imported and co-manufactured charcuterie, and e-commerce for Spanish home goods.
- The pandemic catalyzed this diversification—chef and team realized both how vulnerable and how powerful their guest relationships were.
- “To understand how vulnerable we were and also to understand how powerful we were...people missed the connections and the memories that we create in their spaces.” [41:14, Chef Katie Button]
- Hired a CEO (from outside the restaurant world, with CPG experience) to lead expansion, highlighting the importance of cross-industry learning.
- “What I am learning is that it's always better if you control it...if you can hire for the person to build the business.” [47:19, Chef Katie Button]
8. The Power of Relationships & Hospitality
[48:41–51:55]
- Restaurants have deep, unique guest contact that other industries envy. Leveraging that for direct-to-consumer sales (e.g., chocolate bars), they can build both revenue and brand connection.
- “We should be selling this [chocolate] at every table...it's our opportunity to tell that story...we sold them.” [50:39, Chip Klose]
- Sourcing power lets restaurants align purchasing with their values, curating supply chains rooted in quality, sustainability, and community impact.
9. Industry Wisdom: Five Signature Questions
[51:55–57:54]
- Last great meal: “In Philly at Kalaya...incredible Thai cuisine, just blew my mind.” [52:22, Chef Katie Button]
- Best hospitality touch: At Blackberry Farm, staff overheard her wish for a fireplace—a fire and charcuterie were waiting when she returned. “Hearing or noticing a need, and delivering on it, just blows people’s minds.” [53:01, Chef Katie Button]
- Industry wish: Policy change for childcare for hospitality workers. [55:34, Chef Katie Button]
- Advice to new owners: Know your strengths, find partners for the rest—there are complexities (labor law, accounting) you can't do alone. [55:56, Chef Katie Button]
- The future of restaurants (five years out): Technology will enable more personalized service—using information not to invade privacy, but to enhance hospitality, just as luxury hotels track guest preferences. [56:46, Chef Katie Button]
- “Information is not a bad thing. I want to use that information to be able to offer a better dining experience.” [56:52, Chef Katie Button]
Notable Quotes & Moments
-
On following passion over plans:
“When I was looking back at the moments...that gave me joy, they were all centered around food.” [07:50, Chef Katie Button] -
On landing her first restaurant job:
“The only person who would give me a chance was the general manager at Cafe Atlantico/Minibar...because they were able to look for passion instead of skills.” [11:48, Chef Katie Button] -
On expansion and market trust:
“We had to build trust…now we can throw specials on of razor clams and people order them.” [36:35, Chef Katie Button] -
On evolving business beyond a restaurant:
“If we can add on other types of businesses, not only is it better in diversifying, but also...we are limitless on how much we can grow those businesses. Our restaurant is limited by the four walls.” [41:14, Chef Katie Button] -
On industry adaptation:
“The model we have was invented 250 years ago...If we're not leveraging our people and relationships, we're missing something really valuable.” [43:45–44:46, Chip Klose] -
On hospitality’s transformative power:
“People missed us so much because they missed the connections and the moments and the joy and the memories that we create in their spaces.” [41:14, Chef Katie Button]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Katie’s career journey: [05:05–10:00]
- Passion over experience in hiring: [10:17–14:47]
- Transitioning into the kitchen: [14:20–18:38]
- Cúrate’s origins and business model: [24:09–32:00]
- Evolving menu and market acceptance: [31:02–37:23]
- Diversification and expansion: [37:23–45:41]
- Leveraging guest relationships: [48:41–51:55]
- Signature five questions and future thinking: [51:55–57:54]
Conclusion
This episode is a masterclass in entrepreneurial hospitality, flexibility, and vision. Katie Button’s story underscores the power of following your joy, building trust through consistency, and then daring to evolve your brand into a multi-channel business. The discussion is rich with practical advice for independent operators—especially on why owning your property, hiring for character, and never settling for a single revenue stream are keys to longevity and resilience in today's industry.
Where to learn more:
“Now we can throw specials on of razor clams and people order them. We built trust. That is the biggest thing.” [36:35, Chef Katie Button]