Chef
Christopher Cipollone
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- New York City, New York, United States
- Venue
- Francie · Restaurant
i. Biography
Hospitality, in Christopher Cipollone’s work as Executive Chef/Owner of Francie in Brooklyn, New York, is treated as part of the job rather than an accessory to the plate. His own line is direct: “I’m in the business of making people happy, but I’m also in the business of helping people. We should give back to the community that supports us.” The statement sets a practical standard for the room: food, service, and community obligation are connected responsibilities. European-leaning brasserie cooking there uses fine-dining discipline without adopting fine-dining distance. Composition, flavor layering, and plate control are present, but the aim is not severity. The craft is put toward comfort, abundance, and a room where guests can settle in. Technique functions as support structure: enough precision to carry the food, enough ease to keep the table convivial.
The Path
Formal training at Culinary Institute of America gave Christopher Cipollone a base in fundamentals that could be carried into more exacting kitchens. A fine dining role at La Crémaillère in Bedford, New York, followed, adding classic polish and precision to that foundation. The useful lesson in that sequence is restraint: control matters most when it improves balance rather than calling attention to itself. Restaurant building and chef leadership shaped the next stage. As co-founder at Piora in West Village, New York, and later Executive Chef at Cotogna in San Francisco, Cipollone worked through formats where judgment, clarity, and consistency mattered more than gesture. The through line is measured cooking: flavors placed with intent, plates considered from first impression to final bite, and hospitality treated as part of the craft system. The chef and co-founder role at Francie (since 2020) brings those strands into a more open brasserie register. Fine-dining rigor remains in the method, but the format is built for a broader, more social style of service.
The Current Work
The Executive Chef/Owner role places Christopher Cipollone’s fine-dining skills inside a Brooklyn, New York, dining room designed for hospitality and conviviality. His explanation of the move is plain: he “wanted to do something more casual where we could serve more people.” The point is not lower ambition; it is a different use of ambition, directed toward access, pace, and the energy of a room that can welcome more guests. The menu is approachable and European-flavored, moving through snacks, shellfish, first courses, handmade pastas, main courses, modern twists on classic desserts, and a cheese cart. The format reads as brasserie cooking with contemporary control: familiar categories, careful execution, and enough range to serve appetite as well as appraisal. Three dishes mark the house style. Dry-aged duck gives the main-course section depth and table presence. Lobster Ravioli puts handmade pasta into a generous European register. The Market Salad shows another discipline: freshness, composition, and restraint. Taken together, they define a kitchen interested in richness without heaviness, precision without chill, and service that makes guests feel attended to.
Signature
Signature dishes include Dry-aged duck at Francie, Lobster Ravioli at Francie, and The Market Salad at Francie.
Standing
Christopher Cipollone has received one Michelin star for Francie. Christopher's honors include Michelin star for Piora and Two stars for Piora.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Christopher
What is Christopher Cipollone's current role?
Christopher Cipollone is Executive Chef/Owner.
Where did Christopher Cipollone train or study?
Christopher Cipollone trained at Culinary Institute of America.
What recognition has Christopher Cipollone received?
Michelin star for Piora.
