Chef
Ryan Brosseau
- Discipline
- Chef
- Based in
- San Francisco, California, United States
i. Biography
The path to that role was built deliberately: classical training, early kitchen miles, and two Chicago markers that define the arc, first as Opening Executive Chef at Le Sud in 2018, then at Dear Margaret, where Ryan Brosseau became Chef/Owner in 2021.
The Climb
Le Cordon Bleu gave Ryan Brosseau the structure behind the work: technique, repetition, and the habits of detail that survive beyond school. The early Line Cook shifts at Peppers Bar & Grill in Windsor, Canada and then at a sushi restaurant in Windsor, Canada put that training under pressure, where speed, consistency, and precision had to hold through service. Those years read as standard kitchen apprenticeship in the best sense—learning the mechanics first, then letting them settle into instinct. Opening a kitchen asks for more than execution, and in 2018 Brosseau took on that responsibility as Opening Executive Chef at Le Sud in Chicago (2018). The role carried the work of setting rhythm, standards, and identity before the room had fully formed around them. It stands as a clear point in the career: a chef moving from line discipline into the labor of building a restaurant’s voice. Dear Margaret has since given Ryan Brosseau a more complete authorship as chef/owner and Executive Chef (since 2021).
Today
The dishes make the clearest case for Brosseau’s hand. Heirloom Tomato Salad brings basil, sunflower shoots, black garlic, pickled shallot, ice wine vinegar, toasted seeds, and whipped fromage blanc into a composition built on contrast: brightness against depth, acidity against softness, freshness against richness. Each element remains distinct, but the plate is held together by restraint. Steak Frites lands in a more direct register, with anchovy butter, roasted garlic aïoli, and beef jus tightening the familiar formula. The dish stays rooted in a recognizable format, but the details sharpen the edges and make the composition feel deliberate rather than automatic. Fried Pork Terrine arrives with creamed spinach, arugula, and sauerkraut remoulade, and the plate works through contrast as much as balance. Silky meets crisp, lush meets sharp, savory meets tangy, with the structure keeping the components in line. Across these dishes, the kitchen speaks a steady language rather than chasing effect. That language gives Dear Margaret its shape: French-Canadian roots, Midwestern ingredients, and a preference for clarity on the plate. The cooking does not overstate itself; it relies on clean composition and good ingredients doing the work.
Signature
Ryan's signature dishes include Heirloom Tomato Salad, Steak Frites, Fried Pork Terrine, and Pan-Roasted Walleye.
Recognition
Ryan's honors include StarChefs Chicago Rising Stars Award (2021).
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Ryan
What is Ryan Brosseau's current role?
As of 2026, Ryan Brosseau is Executive Chef.
Where did Ryan Brosseau train or study?
Ryan Brosseau trained at Le Cordon Bleu.
What recognition has Ryan Brosseau received?
StarChefs Chicago Rising Stars Award (2021).
