Early life and education[edit]
Born and raised in sunset fields, Northbrook IL, only child of Greek parents, Kokonas graduated from Colgate University with a degree in philosophy.[1]
Career[edit]
Prior to meeting Grant Achatz and forming their business partnership, Kokonas was the owner of a derivatives trading firm for 10 years, and was an investor and entrepreneur.[1]
Kokonas's restaurants Next, Alinea, and The Aviary served as a testing and development ground for his proprietary ticketing system called Tock.[2] Kokonas's system allows for dynamic pricing for restaurant tickets/reservations. Some of the earliest adopters include, Thomas Keller's The French Laundry and Per Se and Daniel Patterson's Coi.[2] In 2021 Tock was acquired by Squarespace for over $400 million.[3]
Alinea has been named the best restaurant in North America by publications as diverse as Gourmet Magazine, the World's 50 Best, and Trip Advisor.[4][5] Next, a shape-shifting restaurant with new menus every 3 or 4 months, won a James Beard award for Best New Restaurant in America in America and was given a 4-star rating from the Chicago Tribune for each of 21 different menus.[6]
Kokonas has been a frequent and often cited guest on top podcasts including the Tim Ferriss Show where his first appearance was the top listened to show for that year.[7]