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VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & SoulAuthor: VIE Speaks A Podcast Language: en Genres: Arts, Design, Relationships, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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S5 Ep90: "Restaurant Mogul Tells All in Debut Autobiography" - A Conversation with Kevin Boehm & Oliver Petit
Episode 90
Wednesday, 24 September, 2025
On this episode of VIE Speaks: Conversations with Heart & Soul podcast, host Lisa Marie Burwell, VIE’s CEO/editor-in-chief, spoke with restaurateur, businessman, speaker, and author Kevin Boehm and a very special guest, Oliver Petit, owner of The Red Bar in Grayton Beach, Florida. In the first half of the interview, Kevin and Oliver share stories from the very beginning of their friendship, spanning multiple decades since Kevin came to Seaside in 1993. Kevin explains that his childhood was not a happy one, and for that reason, he wanted to curate and build his own chosen family, which Oliver fit right into. Kevin opened his first restaurant, Lazy Days Café, in the area. In 1995, Kevin opened Indigo Wine Bar, and Oliver opened The Red Bar. Oliver recalls his own journey in the hospitality industry, as well as the heart-wrenching story of The Red Bar burning down just a few years ago. He was able to rebuild it almost exactly as the original had been—with some improvements—and we were excited to film this episode on location there. In the second half of the interview, Lisa and Kevin dive into Kevin’s new book, The Bottomless Cup. He takes readers and now listeners on a journey through his childhood, his relationship with his mother, his restaurant career, personal relationships, navigating COVID-19 as a business owner, and the loss of his mother in 2020. A common thread throughout his life seems to be the ability to maintain meaningful and long-standing relationships. Kevin and his business partner, Rob Katz, currently own and operate 26 restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York City through Boka Restaurant Group. The pair won the James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur in America in 2018. Kevin’s autobiography is scheduled for release on November 4, 2025. Learn more about Kevin, his restaurants, and updates here: bokagrp.com Learn more about the history of The Red Bar and upcoming events here: theredbar.com LET’S CONNECT: Instagram: @viespeaks // @viemagazine // @viebookclub YouTube: ( @VIEtelevision | WATCH VIE Speaks) Website: viemagazine.com For sponsorship inquiries, please contact lisa@viemagazine.com.
