Urban Kitchen Group is anchored in Founder and Principal, Tracy Borkum’s international sensibility while maintaining a commitment to the growth and success of Southern California as a recognizable dining destination. Tracy is nationally recognized for her restaurants, which showcase freshly inspired cuisine and imaginatively designed interiors.
Over the course of two decades in the industry, Tracy has earned a reputation as an innovative thinker and risk taker. In 1995 Borkum opened her first venture, the iconic Kensington Grill, to rave reviews and soon followed with her second restaurant, Chive, which opened in 1999 in downtown San Diego. In 2004 she launched Urban Kitchen Catering. In 2005, Borkum raised the local culinary bar with her transformation of Laurel, a successful fine dining venue that earned a Mobil Four-Star rating under her reign.
In 2009, with multiple venues already under her belt, Borkum made waves when she reacted to the slowing economy and shuttered Laurel, quickly turning the location around with a four-week remodel. She reopened the space as CUCINA urbana, a California-inspired Italian restaurant and wine shop. This new value-driven concept forever changed the restaurant scene in San Diego. The concept offered guests an approachable menu with locally sourced ingredients and fine-dining service in a strikingly visual environment – without breaking the bank.
CUCINA enoteca launched its first Orange County location in 2011 at the Irvine Spectrum Center. The brand expanded again in late 2013 at the recently renovated Flower Hill Promenade in Del Mar, CA and in September 2014 to much fanfare in Newport Beach, California’s famed Fashion Island Shopping Center.
As Urban Kitchen Group continues to grow, we will remain true to our Mission Statement: "to successfully craft the perfect dining 'trifecta': exceptional food and superior service in an imaginatively designed environment"
http://www.urbankitchengroup.com/