Brian Francis

Head Chef

Growing up in the southwest of Chicago, Chef Brian Francis found his culinary calling through high school home ec classes. What first started as an elective soon became a lifestyle, entering high school cooking competitions before moving to New York to study at the CIA in Hyde Park.

After three years, Brian graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts and traveled West to work in the fine-dining kitchens of San Francisco. He got his start at Central Kitchen, where he honed his craft, learning about the farm-to-table process and whole-animal butchery. From there, he joined the opening team for Lord Stanley, a contemporary-European restaurant, and helped the team earn a MICHELIN star within months of opening. During his ten-year tenure in San Francisco, he also spent time as the sous chef at Cotogna, the sister restaurant to three-MICHELIN-starred Quince.

Brian had his Chicago homecoming in 2024, nearly fourteen years after first leaving to study at the CIA. He quickly connected with the team at The Loyalist, having briefly staged at Smyth in 2018, and was offered the title of the restaurant’s head chef. In his two years since joining the team, Chef Brian has worked closely with Chef John to craft a chef-driven menu rooted in seasonality. Together, the two continue to innovate and adapt The Loyalist’s menu, making it a neighborhood staple for nearly a decade.