Focus on the Coast

“Chef’s Choice: Chris’ Cosmic Kitchen“
Focus on the Coast:
Your Guide to Culture, Dining, Entertainment, and Shopping
May 28, 2008

Chef Chris Lubben is living a dream. As  a  child in  Cleveland, Ohio, Lubben gravitated toward the kitchen. His parents offered encouragement. Active ImageFast forward about 30 years, and the stars have truly aligned for the creative force behind Chris’ Cosmic Kitchen.

“From as early as I can remember, I always wanted to be a chef and own my own restaurant,” Lubben says. “It is always something I wanted to do.”

Lubben and his wife, Kristin, opened Chris’ Cosmic Kitchen last fall in the Eastwood Commons plaza at 420 Eastwood Road, near Racine Drive. Word quickly spread about the eclectic menu and friendly surroundings. In mid-afternoon on a recent weekday, a steady stream of diners came and went, most with smiling faces; many are regulars.

“There are a lot of customers that come in and order the same thing all the time,” Lubben says. “If I see someone coming in, I’ll just throw something on the grill, knowing they’ll order it anyway.”

Menu favorites include the Classic Reuben sandwich, Shrimp Bisque, Cosmic Crab Cakes and a selection of cheesecakes – all made from scratch.
Breakfast is served all day, and Chris’ Cosmic Kitchen offers 12 kinds of omelets, including the well-received Lump Crab Omelet.

“I would call it comfort foods with a twist,” Lubben says. “Some people would call it gourmet.”

Customers see the unadorned results of his gustatorial vision on their plates. “They all know and appreciate the hard work that goes into everything,” Kristin says. “If he didn’t have a passion for what he did, it wouldn’t be that way.”

Lubben, 36, graduated in 1995 from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, and quickly landed a position as sous-chef in the Palm Restaurant at the [Bellevue-Stratford] Hotel in Philadelphia. Lubben eventually was promoted to the Palm Restaurant in Atlanta before relocating to North Carolina about 10 years ago, where relatives of his wife live.

In Wilmington, Lubben worked as a chef at the Port City Chop House and as executive chef at the Reel Café as well as at Bon Appétit Catering. There also was a side business as a personal chef. One memorable night, Lubben was summoned to Bald Head Island and ended up cooking for a group that included former pro football great Howie Long.

But the soft-spoken Lubben never forgot his ultimate goal, and when the opportunity to open his own restaurant presented itself, he jumped at it.
Kristin can take credit for the restaurant’s name and the warm planetary décor. Customers  appreciate the down-to-earth atmosphere and menu options.

“People like to come back here because it raises their spirits,” she says.

Lubben is right to the point when asked about his philosophy as a chef. “Consistency and quality,” he says. “These are the things I preach to everyone who works here.”

Little is a freelance writer based in Wilmington.