Meet Anthony Sitek | Chef and Owner, Crown Restaurant Group

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anthony Sitek and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anthony, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
Like any full-blooded Italian from New Jersey, I have to start with my grandma. It’s alongside her in the kitchen that I first discovered my passion for food and how it brings people together. She also showed me how cooking-from-scratch not only enhances the food’s flavor and quality, but also teaches you to never let anything go to waste.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I’ve had an incredible culinary education both formal — from JWY Providence — and on-the-job in Chicago and under Bobby Flay in New York City. However, what ultimately led me to wanting to open my own restaurant and eventually expand into a full group was being inspired by all of the different types of people I’ve met and interacted with along the way.

Before relocating to Cincinnati, I helped opened a Mediterranean restaurant in Miami. From each of these experiences I learned something about myself, food, and the business. More than anything, I learned that what keeps me going is seeing people gathered around a table, enjoying each other’s company, and connecting over comforting, flavorful, enriching food.

Everything I do at Crown Restaurant Group (CRG) is inspired by my family and the experiences I’ve had around food throughout my life. From the energy of the fast-paced restaurant in New York City and Chicago where I honed my craft to my Italian roots in New Jersey and the eclecticism of Miami, it’s all become a part of our restaurants: Crown Republic Gastropub, Losanti, Rosie’s Italian, Crown Cantina, and most recently Five on Vine.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am consistently impressed with the resiliency and creativity of our culinary community in Cincinnati. I will always welcome the opportunity to collaborate with chefs and support local restaurants. In addition to stopping by any of CRG’s restaurants, I would recommend pre-dinner cocktails at Lost & Found in Over-the-Rhine. Tucked away on East 14th Street between Vine and Walnut, owner Camilo Otalora converted his garage into an inspiring destination for creative drinks and a unique vibe from anything else int he city. It’s also located just around the corner from our newest restaurant, Five on Vine.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would have to give a huge shout out to my wife, Haley Nutter-sitek. Every restaurant has had its challenges these past couple years, from total shutdowns to constant shifting and adapting, I still consider us lucky. We opened our second restaurant, Losanti, in October of 2019. We were excited, we had people coming in and responding to the concept, and then less than 5 months later the Covid-19 Pandemic changed everything. It was my wife’s idea to shift to meal kits and other take-out friendly options, and eventually Losanti was able to re-open for in-house dining. When it looked like things were turning around we officially opened Rosie’s on the same block as Crown Republic Gastropub, only to have a car crash into the side of the restaurant — thankfully there were no injuries, the accident occurred when the restaurant was closed. Since then we’ve been able to successfully reopen Rosie’s and then our fifth restaurant, Five on Vine.

What keeps us going is our incredible staff who we have been lucky enough to have throughout all the ups and downs, and to have my wife by my side leading the way. It’s a team effort that keeps morale high and guests smiling.

Website: https://crgcincy.com/

Image Credits
Hailey Bollinger