Vish Badami

General Manager

Vish was born with a passion for hospitality despite being the first in his family to venture into the restaurant world. He is most comfortable on the floor of a dining room- talking to guests about exciting wine producers, crafting beverage menus with the bar team and working with the front of house and kitchen team towards a shared vision. Upon immigrating to the United States, Vish immersed himself in the dining scene of Washington DC. He was at Rasika working with Chef Sunderam when he won the James Beard Award for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.

Like most restaurant professionals, he found his place in New York City where he managed Indian Accent, a perennial staple on the World’s 50 Best list. After taking a break to get his master’s degree from the prestigious Hotel School at Cornell University, Vish moved to his wife’s hometown of West Hartford to be closer to family. As a certified sommelier (CMS), he saw an opportunity to bring thoughtful curation of beverage programs to the West Hartford market. The Yee family has backed his vision and Union Kitchen was recognized by Wine Spectator in the first few months of his leadership. As the restaurant keeps evolving, Vish believes the best is yet to come.