FAM

A native of the Pacific Northwest, Brandon was exposed to the concept of sustainable seafood as a youngster, and he grew up inspired by its versatility on the plate. After graduating from the Oregon Culinary Institute (Portland), he set his sights on one of the country’s most distinguished culinary destinations: Charleston. There, he worked alongside his mentor Philip Bardin at The Old Post Office, who is largely credited for putting Lowcountry cuisine on the map. Brandon then served as chef de cuisine for nearly five years at Blossom – a venerable standout on East Bay St. that operated from 1993-2020.

He and his wife Katherine opened their first restaurant, Ella & Ollie’s, on South Carolina’s Edisto Island in 2016, where his preparation of local seafood made the restaurant an instant favorite. Their first outpost of Briny Swine, which features coastal seafood and authentic, Carolina BBQ, came next.

After a decade living in the Southeast, Brandon’s jovial disposition and accent would leave one guessing that he’s lived anywhere but.

“The ingredients themselves aew the star of the plate,” he says. “When y’all have got the freshest, cleanest, briniest oyster in the world sitting in front of you or a slab of barbeque cooked low and slow just off the smoker, there’s little magic that can make them even better. I want the simplicity of what we do to bring joy to everyone – that’s what hospitality is all about.”