A restaurant concept that exists to give up-and-coming chefs a running start is bringing its biggest space yet to Detroit's New Center neighborhood. Host, which began life in Utica, plans to open inside the Chroma Building on East Grand Boulevard in 2027, and the new spot is expected to serve everything from morning coffee to late cocktails.
According to whatnow.com, the opening date will be sometime in the first quarter of 2027, at 2937 E. Grand Boulevard. The 4,000-square-foot space under construction is set to be the team's largest location, and the Chroma Building sits at the intersection of E Grand Boulevard and Beaubien, across from Freya and Oak & Reel. The same report says the restaurant will serve coffee and brunch in the morning, along with lunch, dinner and cocktails.
The news was also covered by Crain's Detroit, which describes Host as a Utica-born restaurant concept that doubles as a chef incubator. A rendering of Host Detroit inside the Chroma Building is credited to X-Identity in the publication's image caption.
A Menu Made for Detroit
Patch reports that the New Center restaurant will have its own culinary program created specifically for the Detroit market. Host also has locations in Romeo and Utica, per the same report. Patch notes that Host's vision to be a launching pad for chef-driven restaurants in metro Detroit is fully realized in Romeo.
Details beyond that remain unsettled. The exact opening day, final menu, pricing, hours and staffing for the New Center location haven't been established, nor has it been confirmed whether the Detroit restaurant will host the same type or length of chef residencies as Utica.
How the Host Model Works
Host first debuted in Utica in fall 2022 as a restaurant and co-working space, according to whatnow.com's account. Hour Detroit described the full-service restaurant as acting “as a residency for a rotating cast of chefs to cook and perfect their craft for up to three months.” The magazine noted that programming had included modern French and Moroccan cuisine.
On its own site, Host Utica says it offers aspiring chefs “an incubator with an established customer base where you can put your skills and menu to the test.” The current residency belongs to chef Ryan Mateling's Aiko Street Food, running October 6 through November 28, 2026, with evening service Tuesday through Saturday. After it wraps, Mateling is set to unveil a brand-new Metro Detroit brick-and-mortar takeout concept in the new year, the site says.
The Utica location has also drawn attention from Crain's Detroit for its aim to help launch the next wave of restaurateurs and businesses.
Part of a Bigger Incubator Wave
Host's expansion lands amid a national push toward shared kitchens that lower the stakes of launching a restaurant. FSR Magazine reports that chef-driven food halls and culinary incubators are opening around the country, and that the initial investment is greatly reduced, or virtually eliminated, because capital-intensive areas like commercial kitchens are shared. At Workshop in Charleston, owner Michael Shemtov says it costs a few thousand dollars and takes a few days to go from zero to open for business.
Detroit has its own entry in the trend. As whatnow.com reported in May 2025, E. Warren Development Corp. is turning the building at 16835 E Warren Ave on the east side into an incubator for local chefs and restaurant concepts. That kitchen is pitched as a middle ground between an incubator kitchen and a brick-and-mortar space, with a service window that can turn it into a pop-up takeout restaurant.
