Speakers

Brian Lewis is the Chef and Owner of Full House Hospitality Group and a recent 2025 James Beard Awards Nominee for Best Chef: Northeast for The Cottage Westport. A celebrated leader in the culinary world, Lewis is known for his sophisticated technique, ingredient-driven menus, and commitment to innovation.

In 2015, Lewis founded Full House Hospitality Group, which includes two acclaimed restaurant concepts: The Cottage (with locations in Westport and Greenwich, Connecticut) and OKO (in Westport, CT and Rye, NY). These restaurants reflect his personal culinary philosophy—seasonally inspired, globally influenced, and deeply rooted in tradition. The Cottage quickly earned an “Excellent” rating from The New York Times, while OKO received praise from Forbes and was featured in the MICHELIN Guide’s New Plate list in 2021.

Lewis’ culinary journey began in Somers, New York, where a football injury at age 13 unexpectedly redirected his passion to the kitchen. His first role at Mona Trattoria, a Northern Westchester institution known for Emilia Romagna-style cuisine, set him on a path of rigorous training and discovery. He later earned an associate degree from The Culinary Institute of America and a bachelor’s degree in Food Service Management from Johnson & Wales University.

His career has included formative apprenticeships under legendary chefs such as Jean Louis Palladin at the Watergate Hotel, Marco Pierre White in London, and Eric Ripert at Le Bernardin. Over the next 15 years, Lewis refined his craft in kitchens from New York to the West Coast, progressing from sous chef to executive chef. Notably, he launched Richard Gere’s Bedford Post Inn as founding executive chef, receiving an “Excellent” review from The New York Times and inclusion in Esquire’s Best New Restaurants list in 2009.