26: Brian Bornemann on Culinary Conviction, Identity, and Building Restaurants with Soul

In this episode of Hold The Standard, host Logan Gelbrich is joined by chef and restaurateur Brian Bornemann, the force behind Los Angeles dining spots like Crudo e Nudo, Isla, and Isla Pasta to unpack what it really means to create something that lasts in a transient, image-obsessed world.

From walking away from fine dining to rewriting the rules with purpose-driven restaurants, Brian shares how he’s using food as a tool to build systems that are sustainable, equitable, and rooted in real integrity.

They get into:
• Why Brian abandoned the traditional fine dining path for something more meaningful
• What it means to build a restaurant that reflects your personal evolution
• How his team is redefining success in the hospitality industry
• The tension between scaling and maintaining soul
• Vulnerability, reinvention, and leadership through values rather than ego

This is a raw, thoughtful conversation about purpose, identity, and doing the hard thing for the right reasons even when no one’s watching.