Chef of the Week: Chef Bradyn Kawcak of Atelier, Chicago
Raised in Northern Colorado by two veterinarians, Bradyn Kawcak grew up with a deep connection to animals, nature, and the rhythms of the land — roots that continue to shape his ingredient-driven cooking. His early kitchen jobs as a teen sparked a lasting curiosity, and during college he discovered how agriculture and cuisine could come together as a calling. Influenced by mentors like Patrick Ayers at Cloverdale Farm and Restaurant, Bradyn developed a philosophy built on confidence, precision, and respect for seasonal ingredients — values that now define his work in one of Chicago’s most dynamic fine dining kitchens.
Since stepping into the executive chef role at Atelier in 2024, Bradyn has retained the restaurant’s Michelin star while embracing the Lincoln Square neighborhood’s homegrown, community-focused ethos. With a style he describes as “global techniques, local ingredients,” Bradyn and his team build tasting menus that change weekly yet remain cohesive, rooted in close relationships with Midwestern farmers and foragers. Under his leadership, Atelier continues to redefine what fine dining can look like in Chicago: technically refined, globally inspired, and grounded in Midwest comfort and hospitality.
Below is Chef’s Pencil’s exclusive interview with Chef Bradyn Kawcak.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you first found your way into the kitchen?
I was raised by two veterinarians in Northern Colorado, giving me a childhood that was always close to animals and nature. I think having that background is what originally rooted me to the science and alchemy of the kitchen. Moreover, as a teenager I spent the summers working as a dishwasher and prep cook for caterers, dinner theaters, and restaurants all over town. My culinary curiosity grew even further during my undergraduate studies at the University of Washington in Seattle, and I haven’t really left the industry since.
Was there a defining moment when you realized you wanted to become a chef?
The thought of being a chef was always on the back of my mind growing up, but after reading Dan Barber’s Third Plate in college, I really started to push myself in figuring out what an agriculturally focused culinary career could look like. It was a crossroads moment in my life where I didn’t know if I wanted to continue down the culinary route, or follow my academic studies in organic agriculture, and it was Third Plate that helped me understand that I could be a part of both.
Who or what has had the biggest influence on your development as a chef?
Working under chef Patrick Ayers at Cloverdale Farm and Restaurant in Steamboat Springs, Colorado* was my first true taste of fine dining standards and execution. That restaurant’s juggling of culinary precision, farm shifts, and everyday upkeep of a newly built tasting menu restaurant inspired me to have an “anything-can-be-accomplished-attitude.” I think confidence is a big part of being a chef, and Cloverdale Restaurant truly instilled that culinary philosophy in me.
*Editor’s Note: The restaurant closed its doors permanently in 2018
How would you describe your cooking style in your own words?
I like to have a “global techniques with local ingredients” approach to food and drink.
I like to think of myself as product-driven chef, getting most of my inspiration from seasonal availability. Additionally, I try not to limit myself with specific cooking techniques and instead try to explore all styles of cooking from around the world. Atelier and I like to have a “global techniques with local ingredients” approach to food and drink.
Are there any ingredients, techniques, or flavor profiles you’re currently obsessed with?
I keep bringing in burdock root whenever it is available. A lot of our local farms we source from have an abundance of it. Pickling and substituting it out for radish or turnip has added a unique flavor profile to some of our most recent dishes.
Additionally, over the last couple of years I have taken the lead with fermentation and preservation projects. From koji work, to making vinegars out of scrap, I really enjoy the low and slow flavor development that comes with preservation.
What’s one kitchen tool or ingredient you couldn’t live without?
It is always the spoon. From tasting to basting to plating, I think it is the most utilized tool in the kitchen. I have some spoons in my personal bank that I’ve had for over a decade now. As far as food goes, green beans and summer squash are always at the top of my list during the summer.
Do you have a personal favorite dish to cook — whether for yourself or your guests?
It’s simple, but I am always craving Caribbean versions of roast pork, rice, beans and plantains. It is such a wholesome meal, and when the pork and its crispy skin is cooked just right, nothing can beat it. I think in general, living in a landlocked state deepens my love for coastal cuisine, so I always enjoy cooking seafood whenever I get the chance.
How do you approach working with seasonal and locally sourced ingredients?
Capturing flavors when the ingredients are at their best is something I am always striving for. Achieving that goal starts by having open communication with our purveyors. Knowing when a product is at its peak, or if there is an abundance of another, points me in a direction to start a recipe or dish.
I also try to respect the product once it arrives, in that I strive to minimize waste. If we have excess of one thing, or if there are edible parts that are very labor intensive to prepare, we try our best to get creative with it. The goal is to avoid the compost and trash as much as possible.
You stepped into the executive chef role at Atelier in 2024 and retained its Michelin star — a major milestone. What was that transition like for you, both technically and emotionally?
It was big shoes to fill when I first started, but luckily having been the executive sous chef at the former Elizabeth, I at least knew the space and ways to execute a 12-course tasting menu. Chef Christian Hunter was big help the first few months, especially when it came to helping me manage the new team. So even though I personally pushed myself very hard that first year, the overall transition went much smoother than anticipated, and that’s mainly due to the support of my team and how Atelier operates in general. But yes, the star was a major milestone, and I am very grateful I get to express my culinary creativity at this level.
Atelier sits in Lincoln Square, a more residential neighborhood — how does the location influence your culinary vision or guest experience?
We try to mimic the residential neighborhood aesthetic of Lincoln Square by breaking down some fine dining stereotypes, and create more of a midwestern, homey environment. For instance, we have no dress codes, so all the chefs are wearing their most comfortable aprons and probably cracking a few jokes with the guests while they are plating. Additionally, the Lincoln Square neighborhood has an established local food system that is rooted in diverse immigrant culture, and we use that as inspiration a lot on the menu.
Atelier has been described as “fine dining folk cuisine.” How do you strike that balance between elevated technique and the community-focused ethos Christian Hunter helped define?
Great question, it is a hard space to navigate. Luckily, we interpret folk cuisine on a global scale, which opens a lot of doors for culinary creation. We like being inspired by history and nostalgia from across the world; I might put on a dish that is a play on a certain type of junk food I ate as a kid, and then the following week one of my sous chefs will want to put on a Korean Banchan course that nobody in the kitchen is familiar with.
We like being inspired by history and nostalgia from across the world
This allows us to be inspired by our past and present environments, as well as creates a learning space for all of us to grow. Folk cuisine at its core is about the food that communities across the world share in, and we at Atelier represent and highlight that using modern techniques and detailed plating. The whole team truly likes making very personal, flavorful dishes look pretty and cute.
Your tasting menus evolve weekly yet maintain a clear identity. How do you go about crafting a menu that feels both seasonal and cohesive?
Even though we change two to three dishes a week, we keep a similar structure to the tasting menu, which makes preparation and drafting a lot easier. For instance, a version of bread and butter will always be on the menu, and our returning guests can expect six different types of bread-and-butter pairings a year. Whenever a new dish is being conceptualized, determining its role in the progression of the menu is always a key factor. We try our best to embrace the seasonal and creative pressure instead of fight it.
You’re known for sourcing ultra-locally — from foraged morels to nearby growers. How do these close relationships with producers shape your food?
Creating and maintaining relationships with our local purveyors and environment is the best part of my job. Atelier and I are very driven to be a part of the growing local food system here in Chicago, and the broader Midwest.
This means that the product leads the way with dish development, and therefore I am forced to put some of my more grandiose ideas aside and work with what’s available. And it’s a good sacrifice because there is a lot of reward in capturing a foraged ramp at its peak, or helping a small, women-owned farm move its surplus produce.
With crowdfunding underway for a larger space and bar, what can diners expect from the next chapter of Atelier?
Our number one priority with the move is grow as a community-supported restaurant, without losing our neighborhood charm. We hope that more space will allow us to better express the Midwest comfort aesthetic we strive for, but the kitchen’s focus will still be our 12-course tasting. There will be a small bar with more regular and N/A cocktail options, as well as a 6-8 course small bite menu.
The bar menu will be a little more laid back, but we hope it still captures that elevated nostalgia and comfort we strive for. I will say after talking to my team over the last few weeks, I am personally very excited for what we have so far developing the opening menus.
How do you stay inspired and creatively fulfilled amid the day-to-day demands of running a kitchen?
The primary motivation comes from my environment. The camaraderie of my staff and the overarching ethos of Atelier restaurant allows me the creative freedom I need to succeed at this level. Having access to high quality, local ingredients and making it a priority to change the entire menu every 6 weeks pushes me to stay curious even when most of my time is still focused on the day-to-day operations. I give a lot of conceptualization freedom to all my staff as well, which in turn allows them to share in their own creative expressions. Essentially their passion enriches my own.
What advice would you offer to young or aspiring chefs entering the industry today?
The demands of being a young chef at this high of a level is a very overstimulating experience, and it can be intimidating. Having the confidence and observance to overcome that intimidation is a big part for any serious aspiring chef. Therefore, I recommend that developing cooks work on a lifestyle that will allow them to expend a lot of focus and energy when on the job, as well as have the motivation to improve every hour of each day. Juggling all of that is important, but having fun with a good attitude is what, in the end, creates the tastiest food.
Chef Bradyn Kawcak | Instagram
Atelier
4835 N Western Ave., Chicago | Instagram
