Bryant Anderson

Chef Bryant Anderson is a classically trained culinary graduate and has been cooking professionally in and around Chicago for over 20 years. With extensive knowledge and expertise in both back and front of house operations. Born and raised in Chicago, Anderson was constantly in his family’s kitchen while growing up, thumbing through cookbooks, and emulating his mother’s distinct cooking style. After taking his first position as a baker’s assistant at Sweet Mysteries Bakery on the north side of Chicago, Anderson soon discovered his love for the culinary industry and made the decision to drop out of college and enroll at the Cooking and Hospitality Institute of Chicago. As a chef, Anderson loves the freedom he is provided to conceptualize and execute new dishes on a daily basis, while interacting with diners and witnessing their reactions to his food. Known for his highly lauded meat-smoking techniques and adoration of BBQ flavors, Anderson kicked off his career at the Chicago Marriot O’Hare, where he led dinner service at the hotel’s Harvest Grill Restaurant. From there, he went on to serve as executive chef at Mount Prospect’s Blues Bar BBQ, developing his signature smoking style and honing his skills and appreciation for comfort favorites. After nearly four years at the helm of Blues Bar BBQ, Anderson transitioned to the venue’s sister restaurant, Total Sports Bar & Grill, a live music venue and restaurant located in Naperville, Ill. While serving as executive chef, Anderson introduced his famous smokehouse style to the masses, while also taking on the role as general manager near the end of his tenure. With a desire to cook in the city again, Anderson accepted the position as executive chef at Chicago’s famed Lincoln Square restaurant Café Selmarie, where his comfort food-inspired menu items were a hit amongst guests. He also was able to hone his distinct and impressive brunch skills while serving hundreds of guests each weekend. In 2015 Chef Anderson accepted the Executive Chef position at Rack House Kitchen & Tavern in Arlington Heights. For five years he ran a profitable and successful kitchen operation. He then opened sister restaurant Broken Barrel Bar in Lincoln Park in the Fall of 2018, operating both kitchens simultaneously. Both Rack House and Broken Barrel Bar featured Anderson’s own style of “Chicago Style” BBQ and smoked meats. Beginning in April 2020, Chef Bryant began leading the culinary operations at Chicago’s very own Eris Brewery and Cider House. Here he combined his love of smoked meats with Eris’s diverse array of vegan and gluten free offerings. Working closely with the brewmasters, he was able to craft an exciting and stimulating menu that paired Eris’s award winning ciders with his mouthwatering creations. A fun-loving chef, Anderson’s over-the-top personality is oftentimes reflected in his cooking and management style, with an emphasis on bold and unique flavor combinations to create stand out dishes. After two years successfully running the BOH operations at Eris Brewery and Cider House, Chef Anderson was presented with the opportunity to maximize his knowledge and lead multiple operations to both respectability and profitability. As the Corporate Executive Chef for the 4 Corners Tavern Group, Chef Anderson now oversees 14 bars and restaurants located in and around downtown Chicago. Upon reviewing his career up to this point, one of the last remaining hurdles to overcome in the hospitality industry was ownership. In June of 2024 Chef Anderson returned to Broken Barrel Bar as the Executive Chef/Partner and is currently overseeing day to day operations with his business partner. Anderson has won numerous first place awards at some Chicago’s most esteemed cooking competitions, including Chicago's Best Wing Fest, Bacon Fest, WACO Wing Fest, Mac and Cheese Fest, Bacon Bash and more, with his Smoked Wings, Mac and Cheese and "The Flying Swine". Anderson has also starred in WGN's Chicago's Best "Best of Bacon" episode in spring 2019.