Meet the Chef

Originally from the Washington DC metro area, Brian started cooking at home at the age of 10. It was a combination of his yearning to learn and the gentle guidance and persuasion from his mother that led him to develop a great love for working over the stove. His earliest ‘masterpieces’ included fried eggs with toast, buttermilk pancakes, and frozen baked zesty french fries!

That love continued to grow over the years as Brian developed his skills and cooked for family gatherings, holidays, and celebrations. While in high school he worked at a local pizza parlor getting an early taste for what a busy restaurant is like, although at that time being a chef was far from his goals.

After completing undergraduate and graduate studies in criminology and sociology, and years working in juvenile corrections, Brian found himself at a crossroads. He was drawn to his ongoing passion for cooking, although still understanding the great importance and impact of the work he was doing in corrections. In that time while in school he even worked at the college dining hall on the hot line, giving him more of an understanding about working with different types of food, and the day to day operations of a large dining facility.

After much consideration about the path he was supposed to be on (and a pathetic score on the LSAT) he decided to pursue his love for being in the kitchen and made the big switch. Starting at the beginning, he applied for and got hired as a prep cook for a major restaurant group in DC. The rest is history. He worked his way through several stations in that kitchen and went on to spend the next twenty plus years learning and improving, to eventually running kitchens as executive chef.

Here in New York, he had the honor to be Claudia Fleming’s last executive chef at the North Fork Table and Inn before the celebrated restaurant was sold to new owners. He developed a deep love for local ingredients, working with several farms and purveyors on the North Fork. He got a great understanding of the beautiful bounty that was literally right down the road, emphasizing the true definition of farm to table.

Several years later Brian started his own company, Crab & Bull, making artisan raviolis, pastas, meatballs, and his ‘world famous’ almond cloud cookies.

Ultimately his love for bringing people to the table for a great meal is what drives him to this day. Food is a great connector, as he learned early on with his experiences cooking for his family and friends. With that same relentless passion and drive, he hopes to be able to bring his skills and years of experience to your table, whether it’s a casual pasta lesson, or a multi-coursed exquisite tasting menu.

Brian is looking forward to arranging and cooking for your next family gathering, gourmet dinner, or special event.

See you at the table, dinner’s ready.