Brendan Joy has a unique passion for food and cooking, inspiring him to seek out the best kitchens in Boston throughout his career. He attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY where he graduated with honors, and then began work at Radius. After spending four years there, under the guidance of many talented chefs, Joy was ready for a new opportunity. He spent a short time under Chef Ken Oringer at Clio before making a more permanent home at Aujourd’hui at the Four Seasons Hotel.

Joy then worked as a stage at Tom Aikens in London, and soon returned home to Boston with a fresh perspective, ready for new challenges.  He earned the Sous Chef position at No 9. Park. Soon thereafter, he was tapped to help oversee Barbara Lynch’s newest ventures in the kitchens of Sportello and Drink in Fort Point. It was here that his love for pasta making brought to life and nurtured.

Setting his sights on growth, Joy was thrilled when an opportunity at Toro arose. He jumped at the chance to work for Jamie Bissonette and Ken Oringer again. After a stint as Chef de Partie there, he was offered the position of Sous Chef at Coppa, where he honed his craft for making great handmade pastas in a small, intimate setting. Learning butchery of whole animals and charcuterie production were also a big part of his growth.

With the aim of advancing his pasta techniques still very much a priority, Joy snapped up the chance to work on a bigger stage and headed to New York to work at Lincoln with Chef Jonathan Benno as Chef de Partie. After a thriving year, his career came full circle and he returned to the kitchen at Radius, this time as Chef de Cuisine. Joy had now developed a style and a voice, and aimed to push the boundary at Radius. Adding a thoughtful prix fixe menu, he was able to raise the check average and raise the bar for the tasting menu.

After 15 years, Radius closed, and Joy went west. In San Francisco, he worked as Sous Chef for Michelin-starred SPQR under the guidance of Chef Matthew Accarino. He developed further technique and precision for pasta, managed a successful team of cooks, and enjoyed working with the bountiful produce of California.

Upon returning to Boston, Joy wanted to find the best produce possible, often foraging or growing himself. He found that Chef Jason Bond had the same amount of respect for nature and its ingredients. Joy took the helm at Bondir in Cambridge, where he stayed for two years as Chef de Cuisine.

Now overseeing culinary operations at Steel & Rye in Milton and its sister restaurant, Prairie Fire, in Brookline, Joy calls upon his years of cooking, apprenticing, and managing to highlight his love for Italian cuisine and beautiful ingredients from an honest, hard-working kitchen.