KENT, Conn.—Anticipation ran high for months as residents questioned what would replace J.P Giffords, a popular market at 12 North Main St. that closed its doors this spring after more than a decade and a half in business.
Now, all the questions have been answered as seasoned chefs Alberto Schenck and Suko Lugito settle into their new quarters at The Kent Kitchen, where they are offering rich and varied international fare.
The men, along with silent partner Tony Robustelli, owner of Cousins Pizza in Wingdale, N.Y., have established a chic new eatery after months of renovations.
“I was looking for a place to create a business,” said Lugito, a graduate of Bina Nusantara University in Jakarta, Indonesia. “I pitched the idea to [Schenck] because we knew each other well and I knew how he worked. I said, ‘Why not open our own place?’ Eventually, we got more serious.”
Schenck, who received a degree in International Cuisine from the Universidad INACAP in Chile, and who has served as executive chef and chef de cuisine in restaurants such as Ventanas by David Burke and for the Harvest Restaurant Group, saw the potential. “We found this place and the landlord agreed to do it over,” he said.
“Doing it over” included creating two separate kitchens where very different cuisines are crafted. “We saw the potential to do both sides,” said Schenck, who has experience in creating dishes drawn from French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, North and South American cuisines.
Lugito, on the other hand, has been a sushi head chef with positions at prestigious restaurants such as the UN Plaza Grill at Trump Towers in New York and the Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Plaza.
They bring their respective strengths to the offerings sold at The Kent Kitchen. “There are so many options,” said Schenck, “so many different flavors. People say, ‘Why do you want to change the dishes so often?’ Because it is fun for us to do. Every day we offer something new. We both focus on our own area.”
The food ranges in price for Lugito’s Asian offerings—$6 for veggie rolls to $18 for his “Arlington Roll” (made with lobster knuckle, smoked salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, deep-fried with Panko, soy glazed with scallions and Masago).
Lugito said that initially he had trouble persuading vendors of the highest quality fish to come to Kent. “All my vendors didn’t want to come here,” he said, “but they have known me for 10 or 15 years and finally it is happening. I don’t know why they thought it was so far.”
Of course, having the freshest and best fish is a key when preparing high-quality sushi.
On Schenck’s side, appetizers start at $12 for rock shrimp up to $14 for guacamole served with plantain chips. Sandwiches, such as the Kent Falls Corned Beef Sandwich, Tony’s Famous Italian Stallion Sandwich and the Kent Burger, are $14 to $16.
Schenck admitted that he was “shaking in his boots,” when they opened, but the shop has now been open for three weeks and the new owners are beginning to relax and look at how they might want to expand their services. Catering events is a goal and this past weekend they opened for weekend breakfast service.
“We are still trying to figure it out,” said Lugito, “but I believe if we work as a team, together we can make it work.”
“There are a lot of moving pieces,” agreed Schenck. “We’re trying to get better and to make people happy.”
The shop is currently open daily, except Tuesdays, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for eat-in and take-out.
For more information, call 860-592-0015.
