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.