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Fox And The Knife In South Boston Named Top New Restaurant In America

BOSTON (CBS) - Fox & The Knife, an Italian restaurant in South Boston, opened in February 2019. Since then, they've won numerous awards, including being named one of the best new restaurants in America by Eater National, Food & Wine, and most recently, USA Today.

"We've been so lucky. We've been so warmly welcomed," Chef and Owner Karen Akunowicz said. "Not only by the city of Boston but by the neighborhood of South Boston. It's really just a dream come true."

Akunowicz is a 2018 James Beard Foundation Award Winner and has over 20 years of restaurant experience under her belt. Still, she admits to being nervous about opening up her first solo restaurant.

Karen Akunowicz
Fox & The Knife Chef and Owner Karen Akunowicz (WBZ-TV)

"I was like, 'what If nobody comes, what if nobody likes the food, what if nobody gets it,'" Akunowicz said. "I felt that way right up until we opened the door and as soon as we opened the door and there were people in the space I was like oh, I know how to do this."

As for the recognition her restaurant is receiving from national publications, Akunowicz said, "for a small neighborhood joint on this little corner of South Boston to be recognized nationally by so many publications is something we couldn't have even dreamed of. So, it still feels like I have to pinch myself and wonder if it's real but I could never have imagined that it would've happened. It feels really good to be seen in that way; to have people see us and say, 'oh, I get that. I get what you're doing.' And that's special. It's very cool."

Fox & The Knife
Fox & The Knife in South Boston (WBZ-TV)

Next up, Akunowicz, who competed on Season 13 of "Top Chef", will be back competing on the national stage in Season 17 of "Top Chef: All Stars," which premieres in March.

In the meantime, she'll be in the kitchen of her restaurant in South Boston doing what she loves to do.

For more information on Fox & The Knife, visit: www.foxandtheknife.com

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