Geoff Lukas, Chef de Cuisine at Committee, Has Died

Geoff Lukas, Photo Provided

Committee, a modern meze and cocktail bar that opened over the summer in the Seaport, has lost its opening chef de cuisine. The restaurant shared the following statement:

Owner George Aboujaoude and General Manager Demetri Tsolakis of Committee are deeply saddened to share the news that Chef de Cuisine Geoff Lukas passed away yesterday Monday, October 5. Geoff was a humble, knowledgeable and progressive talent who is both irreplaceable and greatly missed. Their thoughts and prayers are with Geoff’s family and friends during this sorrowful time.

Along with consulting chef Diane Kochilas, Lukas developed the menu at Committee as a “very honest perspective on how this type of food is meant to be approached,” he had said previously. “What first drew me into Middle Eastern cuisine was the philosophy behind it, which expresses your place in the world and a communal atmosphere representative of how we interact with the earth. It’s very deep, but it’s also nothing too fancy or overwrought. I’m going for a very distinct feeling with the restaurant, where you can come in and the food won’t necessarily distract you from the company that surrounds you.”

Lukas was an avid traveler, and before coming to Boston, he developed his style and understanding of world cuisines in kitchens around the globe, including at Michelin-starred spots in the United Kingdom. In Boston, he built his chops at Oleana and Sofra Bakery before joining Aboujaoude (Cafeteria, Bijou Nightclub) at Committee.