Executive Chef & Co-Founder, MACHETE & Yokai
Greensboro, NC
Participating In: Aged to Perfection
Born and raised in Greensboro, North Carolina, Chef Kevin Cottrell has spent his career defining dining in the Triad. As Chef and Co-Founder of MACHETE — a 2022 James Beard “Best New Restaurant” Semifinalist — and Yokai, he has built a reputation for ingredient-driven cooking that balances technical precision with approachability, weaving global influences through a distinctly Southern lens.
Kevin’s love of cooking started at seven, making breakfast for his parents. At seventeen, after plans to join the Marines were cut short by asthma, a job at a local fish fry sparked a lifelong passion for kitchen life. He trained under a French chef at Greensboro institution Anton’s, building a classical foundation, before a pivotal stage at Chapel Hill’s acclaimed ONE Restaurant with Chefs Daniel Ryan and Kim Floresca reshaped how he thought about precision and creativity. Back in Greensboro, he became Executive Chef at La Rue, where he honed his own voice through more progressive molecular gastronomy and boundary-pushing menus.
In 2018, Kevin and co-founder Tal Blevins launched MACHETE as a 35-seat supper club in Tal’s home. It quickly earned a devoted following and evolved into a downtown brick-and-mortar — opening just days before the pandemic hit. The cooking philosophy is simple: exciting but never intimidating, drawing from global cuisines while championing regional farms, and rooted in dishes that are layered yet personal. MACHETE went on to earn a James Beard semifinalist nod and national coverage from Eater and Wine Enthusiast. In 2024, Kevin and Tal expanded with Yokai, an izakaya-inspired concept exploring Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Filipino flavors through ramen, fried chicken, and late-night dining culture.
Beyond the food, Kevin is committed to a healthier restaurant industry — building MACHETE and Yokai around mentorship, communication, and mental health support, and championing emerging talent across the Greensboro community. His work continues to prove that world-class dining can thrive outside the traditional culinary capitals.