The Herb Box welcomes James Beard Award-winning and Michelin-starred Chef Alex Stratta, who has taken on a newly created role within the company as director of culinary. Stratta will oversee all culinary aspects of The Herb Box’s three restaurant locations—including inside The Colony at 5538 N. 7th St.—as well as its catering division and grab-and-go market.
The owner of The Herb Box, Susan Wilcox, was not looking to create a new position. Through mutual friends, Wilcox and Stratta were connected, and she soon realized they both shared a commitment to the process of running and growing restaurants.
The cuisine style at The Herb Box will remain eclectic American, featuring local ingredients, with vegetables playing a major role on the plate. Stratta will ensure the menu evolves, including the introduction of seasonal menu changes that are in the same spirit as The Herb Box’s existing style. His initial focus is on the dinner menu, elevating the offerings so they are less casual than the lunchtime fare. A new fall dinner menu was unveiled in early November at The Colony location. It features slight tweaks to some existing dishes, as well as eight new appetizers and entrees created by Stratta. A fall lunch menu also was rolled out last month.
“I have spent my entire career in fine dining establishments,” Strata says. “I’m looking forward to getting back to the basics with food, focusing on simple, delicious ingredients that are more accessible.”
For more information, call 480-393-0432 or visit www.theherbbox.com.
