Karen Kourkoulis

With over 30 years of dining experience, Karen Kourkoulis began her culinary journey while attending Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY. Her first hands-on chef experience was at Café Dewitt, a charming eatery known for its European-inspired menu. Building on this foundation, Karen honed her skills further at Just A Taste, a wine-and-tapas restaurant featured in Saveur magazine and celebrated for its fresh, made-to-order dishes.

In 2005, Karen relocated to Richmond, VA, working as a sous chef at the prestigious Jefferson Hotel before becoming the PM Production Sous Chef at the Heilman Dining Center at the University of Richmond. In 2010, Karen was promoted to Chef Manager of the new Passport Café in the Carole Weinstein International Center. Since the beginning, Karen’s leadership of Passport Café has made it an award-winning, vibrant, and popular dining destination for the UR campus community.

Karen’s many awards include being a WNBC12 Restaurant Report Hall of Fame recipient, an ACA Culinary Competition Silver Medal Award winner, and recognition from the University of Richmond with an Outstanding Service Award. In addition to her culinary work, she has contributed articles to Food Service Management Magazine.