Rebecca’s Bio
Rebecca Thomas ~ co-founder
I am prouder of kybecca wine bar & shop than anything else I have achieved in my career. I believe it’s a special place and a unique offering on the national restaurant scene. Being able to create and share the kybecca “experience” with guests from around the world is beyond compare for me.
Through kybecca, I have the opportunity to take my global experiences in food, wine and dining and combine them in a uniquely American way. My personal heritage is from many different cultures and I pull from all of them to create the kybecca concept and experience. My upbringing taught me: to appreciate a wide range of flavors; that culture and cuisine are inseparable; and to look to local artisans to find some of the best food.
My love affair with food, wine and global travel began early. I grew up in a food and wine loving family and spent my formative years living abroad with them. My mother was German/Armenian but grew up in Beirut and spoke English, Arabic, Armenian, French and German. Making sure our family ate fresh, high-quality food and that we appreciated the culture surrounding it, was a priority for my mother. I learned how to create unique and delicious recipes from her.
I was born in Beirut, Lebanon where my parents met while my father was there in the Foreign Service. My father’s career took us to India, Qatar, France (stationed in Paris for 4.5 years – there I learned to speak fluent French) and New York City. His final post was in Washington, D.C. where I lived through my teens. I enjoy traveling every chance I get.
I love the Parisian style of dining and French food and wine, but I also truly love American food and wine. One of the most liberating things about creating new experiences with food and wine in America is that there are no rules! kybecca is an expression of that latitude with many world influences coming together in a casually refined, Parisian style wine bar in a historic American setting.
Through kybecca I have the opportunity to share the experience I create in my own kitchen at home — beautifully presented, simply prepared, fresh farm-to-table food paired with great wine and enjoyed among friends and family. In the words of Charles Eames (a great mid-century modern designer), “take your pleasure seriously” and that we do. At kybecca we help others take their pleasure seriously, too.
