OFF THE MENU
CULINARY MAVERICK
Josh Campbell finds new opportunities to cook food his way. — B R A N D O N W U S K E
D
URING THE SOFT OPENING OF MAVERICK’S RESTOBAR & LOUNGE, I RAN INTO Victor Kidd, whose Kidd Family of Brands operates the coffee shop in The Cincinnatian Hotel, right across the hall from the restaurant. We talked about Josh Campbell, who took the helm at Maverick’s, which fills the space once occupied by that iconic Cincinnati restaurant, The Palace. “He’s a great leader,” Kidd told me.“Not only that but he’s compassionate. He’s exactly the kind of guy you want to work with.” It’s rare, and refreshing, to hear “compassionate” used as one of the first words to describe a high-profile chef. That he’s also an incredible cook went without saying because, well, it should. Campbell is responsible for several standout restaurants, including Mayberry, the beloved-but-shuttered Over-the-Rhine spot known for elevated comfort food, and Django Western Taco, the creative Northside taco shop that closed at the height of the pandemic but returned to Rebel Mettle Brewery last month. It’s fitting to see a chef who has dealt with the disheartening closures of some genuinely good restaurants take the helm as part of the resurrection of such a storied space. The comeback doesn’t stop there, however. Aside from running the show at Maverick’s, he has also taken over food and beverage service at local SREE hotels. Additionally, he recently started SQR (pronounced skewer), the izakaya-inspired to-go window operating out of Knox Joseph Distillery’s OTR StillHouse. Oh, and he’s also in charge of meal service at Cedar Oaks Wellness Center, a rehabilitation facility in Oregonia. How does one chef get involved with so many disparate projects? A little luck and a lot of connec9 0 C I N C I N N AT I M A G A Z I N E . C O M J U N E 2 0 2 2
FYI
Maverick’s Restobar & Lounge 601 Vine St., downtown, (513) 864-7135, mavericksrestobar.com Hours Dinner Thurs–Sun 4–10 p.m. Prices $8 (Warm Roasted Greek Olives)–$44 (Grass Fed Bison Strip Loin) Credit Cards All major The Takeaway Chef-driven hotel restaurant with a bold, yet approachable, seasonal menu.
PH OTO G R A PHS BY D E V Y N G LI S TA
