Inside Butterfly Kitchen, Bernardsville’s first ‘Ghost Kitchen’
By the sounds of it, a ghost kitchen is something that Scooby Doo and the gang may happen upon in the Mystery Machine. But let it be known, there’s nothing scary or mysterious about Butterfly Kitchen, Bernardsville’s first ‘Ghost Kitchen’ by Altamarea Group’s Osteria Morini.
Ghost kitchens, also known as dark kitchens, are typically a fully operational commercial kitchen that is delivery-only. As take-out orders skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic, ghost kitchens have also surged, helping chefs reach customers without taking on massive overhead or providing existing kitchens an opportunity to try something new.
Opened in early June and exclusively available through Caviar and Doordash, Butterfly Kitchen boasts a stout menu of burgers, melts, Mother Clucker sandwiches, fries, and homemade apple pies. According to executive chef Kevin Knevals, Bernardsville was the perfect place to introduce the take-out only effort for several reasons.
“We have been a part of the community for the last 15 years and wanted to show our appreciation to our loyal guests. When we surveyed the market, we found there wasn't anyone in town going all-in on great burgers and chicken sandwiches. We felt we could put our stamp on it in a fun and exciting way,” said Knevals “Bernardsville has been a key location to the Altamarea Group for innovation. From here we launched Nicoletta Pizzeria, our pan- USA pizza and meatball delivery program, our popular Bakeshop goods, and now the Butterfly Kitchen initiative.”
And while Knevals and his crew are Italian chefs through and through, they maintain a strong love for American classics and hope all will appreciate the quality and care that go into them.
“Butterfly Kitchen is a secret to be discovered,” Knevals added.” While the brand is new and something different for us, you can still expect the same quality and care you’ve come to enjoy at Osteria Morini and Nicoletta Pizzeria.”
Butterfly Kitchen’s menu offers a nice range of items. One of which is a locally-made soda by veteran-owned Wild Bill’s in neighboring Millington; perfect for taking the edge off their Big Hot Mother Clucker chicken sandwich. So how did this pairing come to be?
“We had just wrapped up what the menu would be after months of R&D. One night we looked at our beverage section and just felt it didn't match the love we had for the food,” Kneval explained. “We needed something fun, local, and delicious to separate our brand a bit more. We happily stumbled upon Wild Bill's Soda and reached out to the team. Dan and Drew have been so great to work with! Black Cherry is my personal favorite.”
If you haven’t ordered out from Butterfly Kitchen, don’t fret. According to Chef Kevin, the plan is to keep Butterfly Kitchen open long-term.
