After becoming a certified sous chef through Johnson County Community College’s culinary program, Swetha Newcomb went on to become a private chef, dishing up her own brand of worldly cuisine for her clients. Of Course Kitchen and Company (7753 W. 159th St., Overland Park) is projected to open in late May or early June.
Born in India, Newcomb’s cooking is inspired having grown up watching her mother in the kitchen. Of Course’s menu will feature New American cuisine with a “a lot of Asian fusion flair,” says Swetha. The chef’s fusion cuisine is evident in menu items like braised short rib samosas with blackberry tamarind chutney and Madras curry scallops. Hefty entrees like the umami ribeye for two and a wagyu smash burger are also offered for those looking for something more familiar. Other shareable plates teeter the line of adventurous and comforting, like savory donuts served with a house-made mushroom cream cheese.
Swetha has enlisted experts to help curate her dessert and bar menu. Nikki Vavra, the pastry chef at Plate, helped create decadent delights such as a sticky toffee chai cake with coconut espresso crème Anglaise and a white chocolate and midori melon cheesecake. Gluten-free and vegan desserts will also be available. Jay Sanders, owner of Drastic Measures and Wild Child, has had a helping hand in creating the cocktail menu filled with libations like bubbly peach tea gin spritz. A whiskey program pays homage to the chef’s father and his favorite drink. “We’re going to have slow sippers—whiskeys, bourbons, and Scotch from around the world. Some from Japan, some from India, and some from Scotland,” says Swetha.
The upscale three-thousand-square-foot restaurant will display an open kitchen and full bar. “I want guests to have a fine dining experience without feeling like they need to be extremely dressed up,” says the chef. Located in the Bluhawk shopping complex of south Overland Park, the restaurant will be a welcomed establishment amongst neighboring food operations such as The Roasterie, Five Guys, and JINYA Ramen.
