Chef Kevin Tien will be opening a new restaurant, Emilie’s, in the heart of Capitol Hill. The 3,313 square-foot restaurant will be located at Penn Eleven, the redevelopment of the former Frager’s Hardware store, and is slated to open spring 2019.
“Two years ago, we opened Himitsu,” says Tien. “Taking my passion for Japanese cuisine, but pushing the envelope and getting our guests out of their comfort zones was exciting. I’m looking forward to writing the next chapter and sharing my passion with the community on a larger scale and a different service style.”
Emilie’s daily-changing menu will focus on seasonally inspired and local ingredients and will include large plates and a small a la carte menu. Guests can anticipate the focus of their dining experience to be further elevated with various small plates circulating the room on carts. This style of “tableside” dining facilitates Tien’s mission to promote and support the local community of producers, farmers, and ranchers. The rotating carts will also give guests the opportunity to try different dishes and be adventurous as Tien’s team gets creative in the kitchen.
“I couldn’t be more excited to work with Kevin and his vision to create a restaurant designed for creating a moment with friends and family around shared plates,” says Sam Shoja, co-owner and partner. “We look forward to being part of the community for years to come.”
In addition to Shoja, restaurant veteran Arris Noble will also be bringing his extensive knowledge and experience and will be partnering with Tien on Emilie’s. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner service and will seat approximately 100 guests inside the dining room and at the bar.
Originally from Lafayette, LA, Chef Kevin Tien started working in the corporate world. However, he had a career change charged by a passion for food and service which placed him on a culinary path in 2009. After working with various restaurants in Louisiana, Texas, and Washington, D.C., Kevin had an opportunity to open a restaurant, Himitsu, in the neighborhood of Petworth in D.C. He is currently the Executive Chef and Co-Owner.
Since opening Himitsu in 2016, the restaurant and Kevin have garnered local and national attention and accolades from all corners of the U.S. including Food & Wine’s Best New Chef for 2018, James Beard Foundation Finalist, Rising Star Chef of the Year 2018, James Beard Foundation Semi-Finalist, Rising Star Chef of the Year 2017, Eater’s Best New Restaurant in America 2017, and Bon Appetit’s America’s Best New Restaurants 2017. Kevin recently also appeared on The Food Network’s Iron Chef Gauntlet.
His resume includes working for chefs Aaron Silverman at Pineapple and Pearl, David Chang at Momofuku CCDC, Jose Andres at Oyamel, and Tyson Cole at Uchi.
Chef Kevin Tien’s new concept, Emilie’s, will be centered around cart-style service and the guest’s dining experience. Focusing on seasonally-inspired and local ingredients, the menu will change often. The restaurant, located at 1101 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Washington, DC., will boast approximately 70 dining and 30 bar seats.
