Cipollone's culinary journey began early in New York's Hudson Valley, where his exposure to fresh produce and his family’s involvement in the wine business fueled his passion for cooking. By age 12, he was already experimenting in the kitchen, and by 14, he knew he wanted to be a chef. His dedication led him to the Culinary Institute of America, where he graduated with top honors.
A transformative two-month stint in Italy further honed his skills. After that, he returned to the US to work in fine dining, including at La Crémaillère in Bedford, New York, where his career gained traction.
Following a formative two-week road trip through South Korea with Simon Kim—where they ate seven meals a day—he co-founded Piora, a West Village restaurant blending Italian and Korean influences. The restaurant made waves on the culinary circuit and earned a Michelin star and two stars from The New York Times.
After further success as Executive Chef at Cotogna, one of the most highly rated and longtime staple restaurants in San Francisco, Cipollone co-founded Francie, a modern Mediterranean bistro in Brooklyn, in December 2020. There, he continues to flex his fine-dining skills to maximize flavor and celebrate the art of cooking, emphasizing hospitality and conviviality.
Cipollone believes in the artistry of cooking but that it should also be fun. When not in the kitchen, he feeds his creativity by exploring the food of other cultures by traveling, dining with friends, reading, and meeting new people.
Restaurant
Cipollone's modern Mediterranean bistro, Francie, debuted on the Brooklyn dining scene in December 2020. Despite the challenges of opening during a pandemic, the collaborative efforts of himself and Owner-Operator John Winterman (Bâtard, Daniel) set the stage for success, with Francie soon becoming a hit with locals and food lovers from further afield. Inspired by the novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Francie pays homage to its Williamsburg roots, occupying a former limestone-clad bank building.
Designed by architect Glen Coben, the dining space features cozy booths, exposed red brick, mosaic tile floors, and a black-and-white tiled aesthetic, evoking an unpretentious Left Bank brasserie vibe. Rock 'n' roll music sets a lively tone while attentive staff, dressed in white blazers, bring a touch of theater to the dining experience.
The open kitchen allows guests to observe the culinary team at work, with Francie's flexible menu reflecting Cipollone's Italian, French, and Korean influences. It spans upscale bar snacks and shellfish to handmade pasta and heartier main courses, all made from locally sourced ingredients.
The Italian-accented bistro has already made its mark on New York’s competitive dining scene, earning a Michelin star and praise from critics, including a positive review from The New York Times.
Recipes and dishes
Cipollone's Francie menu artfully blends his Italian heritage, global influences, and formal training into a playful yet refined brasserie-style experience.
Drawing on his time at Piora, Cipollone incorporates Korean ingredients like seaweed and white sesame into recipes while also showcasing his Calabrian roots through daily handmade pasta dishes and his take on modern French bistro fare in a nod to his formal training at the Culinary Institute of America.
One of Cipollone’s most personal creations is his 25-ingredient market salad, which is ever-evolving and features roasted, raw, and pickled vegetables with a powdered "creamy Italian" dressing that allows the vegetables to shine and anchors the dish to a time and a place in the seasons.
Close to his heart, pasta is also given plenty of focus. For example, he turns up the flavor to full volume with his dish of conchiglie with clams, bacon, and white sesame pangrattato infused with gamtae. The umami, savory Korean seaweed adds an enticing white truffle-like aroma, demonstrating Cipollone's skill in merging Italian and Korean flavors.
However, Cipollone’s crown jewel and the stalwart of his menu is the dry-aged crown roast of Rohan duck, which has gained a loyal following. The ducks are dry-aged for 30 days in-house and presented on a platter with herbs and flowers alongside a salty, sweet, acidic, and chunky soppressata jam inspired by Southern bacon. It’s a dish that Cipollone never tires of, watching his guests photographing and savoring the moment the duck is presented with ceremony, which he says represents a full-circle moment in his career.
