Brian Lewis

The Climb

Technique and structure came first through The Culinary Institute of America and Johnson & Wales University, where Brian Lewis built the formal base that supports his later work. The education provided a working vocabulary for the kitchen, but the discipline of professional service is where that vocabulary became usable. He then served as founding chef at The Bedford Post Inn in Bedford, New York, a role that helped set the terms of his early career and established a balance between composure and conviction. Today, Brian is founder of Full House Hospitality Group (since 2015), chef of The Cottage, chef of OKO, and Executive Chef of Le Saint Boniface. The range of roles points to breadth, but the connecting thread is authorship: he moves between leadership and the line, between building teams and finishing plates. Each venture carries a consistent point of view, one that weighs atmosphere and hospitality alongside flavor and structure.

Today

At Le Saint Boniface in Ixelles, Lewis serves as Executive Chef, the clearest present-tense expression of his work. The cooking there is identified with Southwest French cooking and Bouchon Lyonnais cooking, a specific frame rather than a generic French one. Those plates give the restaurant its signature: deep cuts, old regional references, and a preference for substance over restraint. The style reads as deliberate and rooted, favoring abundance over minimalism. Lewis’s own words track that approach. "Our cuisine, beverage program and hospitality will continue to be a heartfelt expression as we continue to develop our craft and follow our passions and inspiration." The statement links dining room and kitchen as one operation. Another line keeps the focus on the work itself: "Plain and simple, cooking is the greatest prize of it all!"

Signature

Brian's signature dishes include cassoulet, stuffed duck neck with foie gras, and calf’s brains with tartare sauce. Together, they describe a menu language that is classical in reference and confident in density. Cassoulet brings long-cooked structure; stuffed duck neck with foie gras points to richness and precision; calf’s brains with tartare sauce leans into offal-forward cooking that asks for nerve as much as technique.

In Their Words “Our cuisine, beverage program and hospitality will continue to be a heartfelt expression as we continue to develop our craft and follow our passions and inspiration.”

Recognition

Brian's honors include James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: Northeast and Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition (2025).