Kevin Malhame
Founder at Brassica
Speaker

Profile

Kevin Malhame is the Founder and CEO of Brassica and the Northstar Restaurant Group, which he leads alongside his brother, business partner, and co-founder, Darren Malhame. Since opening the first Northstar Café in Columbus, Ohio in 2004 and launching Brassica in 2015, Kevin has led the company’s steady growth while building what has become one of the region’s most influential and loved independent restaurant groups. In 2024, Brassica earned national attention as the first restaurant investment of Chipotle’s Cultivate Next venture fund.

Kevin’s hospitality career began during his undergraduate years at Washington University in St. Louis, and he later held management positions with Hillstone Restaurant Group and Chipotle Mexican Grill. While guiding the company’s thoughtful evolution, Kevin remains deeply involved in the areas he’s most passionate about—leadership development, culinary R&D, and restaurant design.