Catalyst Restaurant

Catalyst is a contemporary American restaurant in Kendall Square, Cambridge, run by chef-owner William Kovel. The kitchen focuses on fresh, locally sourced ingredients, an approach Kovel developed while cooking in Northern California. Alongside the dining room, Catalyst has a lounge, a patio and a list of creative cocktails, and it works for casual meals as well as larger occasions. Private dining and event hosting are a major part of the business.

Kovel’s résumé includes work under Traci Des Jardins at Jardinière in San Francisco, three years with Michael Schlow at Radius, where he rose to sous chef, and a year at the Michelin-rated Orrery in London. He was chef de cuisine at Aujourd’hui in the Four Seasons Boston until it closed in 2009, then spent more than two years planning and building his own restaurant. He also runs Catalyst Catering.

What to Know

• Events range from intimate gatherings of about 25 guests to celebrations for 200, with indoor and outdoor options.
• Partner and Director of Sales Robyn Yee, who began her career at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston, plans weddings and milestone events.
• The events team handles weddings, corporate retreats, product launches, bar and bat mitzvahs, and board dinners.
• The restaurant is a member of both the East Cambridge Business Association and the Kendall Square Association.