CINCINNATI — Two chefs who were contestants on "Top Chef" are set to open a sandwich shop and deli in Over-the-Rhine.
Brian and Caitlin Young, in partnership with Crown Restaurant Group, have signed a lease to fill the former space of Holtman's Donuts at 1332 Vine Street with Young Buck Delicatessen.
The Youngs met as contestants on Bravo TV's "Top Chef" and they combined their culinary talents to form Young Buck. The deli has recently held residency in Crown Republic Gastropub. Brian Young also served as an executive chef with Crown Restaurant Group, which also owns Losanti, Rosie's, Five on Vine and Cantina.
Young Buck, which currently doesn't have a set opening date, is set to be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m to 3 p.m. or until sell out. The deli will also double as both the butchery and pasta commissary for all Crown Restaurant Group locations.
"We pride ourselves on being a from-scratch company and having this space for butchery and pasta making will allows us to elevate this aspect of our business," said the Siteks, owners of Crown Restaurant Group.
Brian Young said he's excited to hone in on and sharing his butchering skills with the deli and sandwich shop.
"Caitlin and I make a great team — she's the baker and I'm the butcher," Brian Young said. "My culinary work has always been focused on precision, education and knowledge, while Caitlin tends to gravitate toward memory-evoking dishes that have some sort of emotional connection. Our individual culinary styles are very complementary."
Young Buck will serve lunch meat, bread and accouterments that will all be made in-house with fresh, seasonal ingredients. Guests will be able to build their own sandwich or choose from a menu of eight to 10 sandwiches, such as Italian cold cuts, Chicago hot Italian beef, the Vermonter and many others. The sandwich shop will also offer breakfast sandwiches from 8-10 a.m. with offerings such as a pancake sandwich, a bacon, egg and biscuit sandwich and more.
Caitlin Young said they feel very lucky to have landed the Vine Street spot for Young Buck.
"It's such a vibrant part of Vine Street and we're eager to contribute to all the great things happening in OTR," Caitlin Young said. "My kids grew up visiting Holtman's here, so I have a personal connection to the space and I'm excited to bring new life to this storefront and activate these big windows with our very own concept."
The storefront is currently receiving some cosmetic updates before Young Buck opens. The Youngs teamed up with Cincinnati-based design firm Dust Village to complete the space, which will feature limited barstool seating for dine-in purposes. There will also be an indoor walk-up window that will allows guests to observe the butchery process. In the evening, those walking along Vine Street will also be able to see pasta being made for Crown Restaurant Group through the exterior walk-up window.
