4 things to know about Sartre Restaurant coming to OTR

Four cool things to know about Sartre, a restaurant opening in Over-the Rhine later this summer:

1: It will be in the former bottling room of the historic brewery that now houses Rhinegeist at 1910 1/2 Elm St.

2. Owner/chef Jim Cornwell will be joined by a chef from a Michelin-starred restaurant in San Francisco.

3. There will be a pneumatic tube called the Burger Launcher to shoot short orders up to the tap room of the brewery.

4. Yes, it's named for the French existentialist philosopher. And not just because he's French.

"Provocation is why we named our restaurant Sartre," said Cornwell. "He was a free thinker who believed in the ultimate freedom of human expression." A news release states, "We seek to break paradigms and create our own interpretation of dining out."

Cornwell, who currently heads the kitchen at Dutch's and has worked at Maisonette, Boca and Hugo, said the restaurant will serve contemporary French cuisine in a space incorporating modern design and French aesthetics. Located as it is in a brewery, it's akin to a brasserie, the beer-focused restaurants that developed in Alsace.

The menu will be semi-seasonal, with options for vegetarians, pescatarians and carnivores. There will be rotating oyster and raw bar selections. The drinks list will feature rare and unique brews from Rhinegeist, along with wine and cocktails.

Cornwell is the managing partner, the executive chef will be a Cincinnatian coming home to a more exciting culinary city than he left.

Justin Uchtman grew up in Wyoming, went to culinary school in Dallas, and spent seven years at SPQR in San Francisco, a contemporary Italian restaurant with a Michelin star, for five years.

"I started at the bottom and worked my way up to executive sous chef," he said. "I learned something new every day I came to work."

He didn't think he'd ever leave the Bay Area, but a trip to visit family and friends in Cincinnati in 2015 changed his mind. A day at Findlay Market and in Over-the-Rhine convinced him to be part of what was going on here.

Jeremy Lieb, who was executive chef at Boca, was the consulting chef for the project.

The Drawing Department did the architectural plan for the restaurant, which will seat 200.

Sartre will be open for dinner Tuesday-Sunday, with lunch following thereafter.