Frank Kinyon
a.kitchen+bar | Philadelphia
FEBRUARY 2024
Originally a psychology major at Temple University, Frank Kinyon thought he would work in the non-profit sector after graduating in 2010. He took a job in a restaurant to save up some money before moving on to graduate school. He applied for an open position at Osteria and started working there as a food runner in 2013, before becoming a server. When Sommelier Elizabeth Flamini was promoted to beverage director at the restaurant, she approached Kinyon—who already did some successful homebrewing on the side—and convinced him to become a sommelier. In 2015, he started as a floor sommelier and began familiarizing himself with the restaurant's impressive list. He soon completed his initial certifications and jumped to WSET Level 2 a couple of months later.
Then, Flamini was promoted to general manager, and Kinyon took on the role of beverage director. Together, they reshaped the wine list to focus on the vast varieties of regional Italian wines, expanded the collection in the cellar, and garnered awards for their work. When ownership of Osteria started to change hands, Kinyon felt it was time for him to leave. He joined the team at a.kitchen+bar in 2018. During his time as beverage director, a.kitchen+bar has been named a 2022 James Beard Semifinalist for Best Wine Program and was recognized by Wine Enthusiast as one of the best wine restaurants in the country. Kinyon has slowly restructured and refined the natural wine program he inherited, building a versatile, food-driven list that highlights and celebrates local wine producers and invites guests to try something new.
