Meet the Brigaid Team

Ryan was born and raised in New London County, Connecticut. Ryan has spent the last 20 years working in restaurants around the New London area. For the last nine years, he was the head chef at Coffee's Country Market and Fine Catering . Ryan joined Brigaid in 2016.

Ryan was born and raised in New London County, Connecticut. Ryan has spent the last 20 years working in restaurants around the New London area. For the last nine years, he was the head chef at Coffee's Country Market and Fine Catering. Ryan joined Brigaid in 2016.

Ryan Kennedy
Regional Chef

John grew up in Virginia and right after high school moved to Chicago, where he got his start cooking at GT Fish & Oyster. After many years in Chicago, John returned to the East Coast and most recently worked as sous chef at the Michelin-starred Blue Duck Tavern in Washington, DC. John joined Brigaid in 2018.

John grew up in Virginia and right after high school moved to Chicago, where he got his start cooking at GT Fish & Oyster. After many years in Chicago, John returned to the East Coast and most recently worked as sous chef at the Michelin-starred Blue Duck Tavern in Washington, DC. John joined Brigaid in 2018.

John Thompson
District Chef

Raised in Freeport, Maine, Katie studied nutrition and dietetics at the University of Maine. Following her graduation she joined FoodCorps, working in the Child Nutrition Program in New London, Connecticut. She taught nutrition, cooking, and gardening to students from elementary up through high school. Katie joined Brigaid in 2017.

Raised in Freeport, Maine, Katie studied nutrition and dietetics at the University of Maine. Following her graduation she joined FoodCorps, working in the Child Nutrition Program in New London, Connecticut. She taught nutrition, cooking, and gardening to students from elementary up through high school. Katie joined Brigaid in 2017.

Katie Turner
Program Development Manager

 

Dan Giusti is the founder of Brigaid and formerly served as the head chef of Noma in Copenhagen, as well as the executive chef of 1789 in Washington, D.C. Dan is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park. Coming from a big Italian family, Dan grew up watching his Aunt Zia Rosa take care of his family and bring them happiness through her food. This is what inspired him to get into cooking. After three years as the head chef of Noma , Dan wanted to take his career in a new direction and try to bring that same childhood comfort to as many people as possible. Given that the National School Lunch Program feeds 31 million students each day, school food seemed like the best place to start.

Dan Giusti is the founder of Brigaid and formerly served as the head chef of Noma in Copenhagen, as well as the executive chef of 1789 in Washington, D.C. Dan is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

Coming from a big Italian family, Dan grew up watching his Aunt Zia Rosa take care of his family and bring them happiness through her food. This is what inspired him to get into cooking. After three years as the head chef of Noma, Dan wanted to take his career in a new direction and try to bring that same childhood comfort to as many people as possible. Given that the National School Lunch Program feeds 31 million students each day, school food seemed like the best place to start.

Dan Giusti
Founder and CEO

Alex is a Connecticut native and was raised in West Haven. Having been surrounded by family that were familiar with the restaurant world, he was drawn to being a chef from an early age. A graduate of the Connecticut Culinary Institute, his culinary history includes sauté at Gracies in Providence, RI, chef de partie at at Union League in New Haven, and most recently, sous chef at Penny Lane Pub in Old Saybrook. Alex joined Brigaid in 2018.

Alex is a Connecticut native and was raised in West Haven. Having been surrounded by family that were familiar with the restaurant world, he was drawn to being a chef from an early age. A graduate of the Connecticut Culinary Institute, his culinary history includes sauté at Gracies in Providence, RI, chef de partie at at Union League in New Haven, and most recently, sous chef at Penny Lane Pub in Old Saybrook. Alex joined Brigaid in 2018.

Alex Leigh
District Chef

April was born and raised in Pennsylvania. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, she spent ten years cooking at several resorts in Phoenix, Arizona before returning to the East coast as an executive sous chef for Newport Restaurant Group in Newport, Rhode Island. April joined Brigaid in 2016.

April was born and raised in Pennsylvania. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, she spent ten years cooking at several resorts in Phoenix, Arizona before returning to the East coast as an executive sous chef for Newport Restaurant Group in Newport, Rhode Island. April joined Brigaid in 2016.

April Kindt
Regional Chef

Tyler was born in South Berwick, Maine. Tyler has worked at a number of highly-regarded restaurants in the northeast and most recently worked at Bror in Copenhagen. Tyler joined Brigaid in 2016.

Tyler was born in South Berwick, Maine. Tyler has worked at a number of highly-regarded restaurants in the northeast and most recently worked at Bror in Copenhagen. Tyler joined Brigaid in 2016.

Tyler Guerin
District Chef

Nora grew up in McLean, Virginia. She studied architecture at the University of Virginia, then proceeded to work in a variety of settings, including as a gardener at Monticello and as a line cook in Washington, DC, to learn where food comes from and how it’s prepared. This further evolved into learning about the ways food can be used to prevent and reverse disease, leading her to obtain a master of public health degree and the registered dietitian credential from the University of Michigan. Nora joined Brigaid in 2017.

Nora grew up in McLean, Virginia. She studied architecture at the University of Virginia, then proceeded to work in a variety of settings, including as a gardener at Monticello and as a line cook in Washington, DC, to learn where food comes from and how it’s prepared. This further evolved into learning about the ways food can be used to prevent and reverse disease, leading her to obtain a master of public health degree and the registered dietitian credential from the University of Michigan. Nora joined Brigaid in 2017.

Nora White
Business Development Manager