Craig Koketsu fostered his passion for precision, knowledge, and flavor by working with acclaimed chefs from diverse backgrounds at some of America's top restaurants. As executive chef of Quality Meats, Koketsu draws from his experience to create a rustic New American menu that features innovative interpretations of classic flavors.

Koketsu started at Stars in Palo Alto, California working with renowned chefs Jeremiah Tower and Joyce Goldstein. After moving through all the posts in the kitchen, he received the distinction of being named banquet chef for all private events at Stars, which allowed him to create more intricate and innovative dishes.

As Koketsu learned about the luminaries of the culinary world, he realized that a move to New York City was crucial to work with the chefs he admired. Once in New York, Koketsu landed a position of chef de partie with Gray Kunz at the famed restaurant Lespinasse. Chance intervened when the young chef was afforded a rare opportunity to work with another remarkable talent, Christian Delouvrier, who replaced Kunz after his departure from Lespinasse. Koketsu stayed on Delouvrier's new team and became poissonnier, which was the post he held when Lespinasse earned a four-star review from the New York Times. A year and a half after the review, Koketsu was honored with the highest position in Delouvrier's kitchen, chef de cuisine. Koketsu was selected to create the culinary concept and menus of Quality Meats, which he has executed with a great sense for classic dishes and an innovative take on flavors.