‘Top Chef’ Winner Kevin Sbraga Pops Up in Indiana With a Hot Chicken Shop

Kevin Sbraga is back with a new eatery, but it’s not in Philly. The Top Chef winner is bringing his Nashville-style hot chicken to Crave Food Hall, a high-end food court slated to open in time for the coming school year at Purdue University in Indiana. Sonny & Sons, which will sell hot chicken in three “burn levels” and sides like mac and cheese, is named for his father, Harvey “Sonny” Beachem Jr., Sbraga himself, and his son, Angelo.

Sbraga made a name for himself in Philly with his eponymous restaurant at Broad and Pine in Carl Dranoff’s Symphony House high-rise. Within five years, he opened two locations of Southern restaurant Fat Ham in University City and King of Prussia, the 1980s-themed Juniper Commons on Broad Street, and Sbraga & Company in Florida. But he grew too fast, he later told Philly.com, and the restaurants closed one after the other.

Sbraga started working as a restaurant consultant and occasionally reappeared in the Philly food scene with hot chicken pop-ups. In late 2017, it was announced that he had signed on as culinary director at the Fitler Club, the private lifestyle club at 2400 Market that opened last month. Sbraga developed menus for the club’s restaurant and catering operation, but left before it opened, presumably redirecting his attention to Sonny & Sons, though he declined to comment. Marc Vetri took over the Fitler Club role.

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