Fifth Group Continues Growth

If you’ve been to a wedding, bar or bat mitzvah or a restaurant in Atlanta, you’ve likely been a patron in one of hospitality giant Fifth Group’s businesses. South City Kitchen, Ecco, La Tavola and Lure are just some of those restaurants. Fifth Group’s Bold Catering and Design is also consistent in its popularity for memorable celebrations.

At the helm of the Fifth Group is Robbie Kukler, who works with and mentors the operations, marketing and recruiting teams while also focusing on the company’s growth and development of new concepts. With more than 10 restaurants, as well as a catering and design company, he often has his hands full.

Although Kukler’s home growing up in Flint, Mich., was full of family members in the medical field, he knew from the age of 14 that he wanted to be in the restaurant business. Being a positive force in someone’s special event or making sure a customer has a memorable dining experience is part of what propelled him into the industry as such a young age. “It’s the purpose of what we do in our company,” he said. “We want to provide the opportunity for people to experience joy, and that comes in all forms and fashions. People in our company love being a part of it, no matter what it is in the company they do. Ultimately, we’re all here because we love being a part of people’s experiences.”

As a longtime board member and advocate of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, as well as a major fundraiser for the Atlanta Hunger Walk Run, Kukler credits his faith and connection to his spirituality, in part, for teaching him to give back. He’s a longtime member of Temple Sinai, where both his children had their b’nai mitzah. Kukler’s father, a Holocaust survivor and family physician for 50 years, instilled in him the importance of tzedakah and giving to the less fortunate. “My father always taught me about giving back, doing good things, and being involved in the community,” Kukler said. “Part of that is because I was raised Jewish, and part of that is who my family is. Giving has always been a big part.”

Kukler and the Fifth Group have no intention of slowing down. Serving elevated European fare, Ecco just opened its third location in Buckhead. The Fifth Group recently hosted and sponsored a Sunday Supper for 250 people to benefit the Giving Kitchen, which provides emergency assistance to restaurant workers. The fundraiser was organized, in part, by Bold Catering and Design. Pastry chef Eric Wilensky’s creations were a standout. This year will also mark the Fifth Group’s 25th anniversary. “We’re so thankful for the millions of guests who have dined with us and for our incredible staff members,” Kukler said. “We do a lot every day to make sure these events are special for so many people. We’re living our dream doing this.”