Punch Bowl Social Ups Its Game with Chef Chris Cina

Restaurateur Robert Thompson, whose four year old concept Punch Bowl Social continues to grow, added Denver chef Chris Cina as culinary operations director to oversee the group's national culinary program. Until very recently, Cina served as executive chef leading the culinary teams at the Breckenridge-Wynkoop restaurants. A Culinary Institute of America graduate, Cina has also worked at the Fourth Story restaurant in Cherry Creek and Hideaway Steakhouse in Westminster, among others.

Cina's new position has him overseeing the the culinary teams at the existing six locations and providing support to all upcoming locations, focusing on the execution of new menu updates, training new and existing chefs, and serving as a resource for the kitchen teams across the country.

A month ago, chef Matt Selby joined the Punch Bowl Social team as regional executive chef overseeing the culinary teams at the two Denver locations on South Broadway and in Stapleton, opening early 2017. Opening chef Sergio Romero continues with the company as director of operations.

Punch Bowl now operates locations on South Broadway in Denver, as well as in Portland, Austin, Detroit, Cleveland and Schaumburg, IL. Indianapolis and Minneapolis will join the gaming fray later this year and five more locations (Sacramento, San Diego, Rancho Cucamonga, Chicago and Dallas) are planned for 2017 with a Brooklyn one in early 2018.