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Brian Lofink

@blofink1

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NEW MENU ADDITION ~ WOAH…
Debuting our new seasonal sandwich
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The Southern Prefecture
Smoked A5 Kagoshima Roast Beef on Focaccia, Horseradish Crema, Au Jus
French Salad or Frites 🎤

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🐄🐮Day one in Chicago and the mission is clear.
Touching down to begin my official journey toward becoming a certified Wagyu Sommelier.
From the kitchen to the deep study of Japanese A5 heritage.
#WagyuSommelier #ChicagoFoodie #ChefLife #A5Wagyu #CulinaryJourney

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PART 1 | After 2 weeks in Japan - Christine & Nick have returned experiencing and embodying ICHIGO ICHIE. A transformative trip that will forever leave an impression on our souls and our prowess as chefs and entrepreneurs. We highlighted the first week with our amazing crew, more to come.
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ICHIGO ICHIE
There is an ancient Japanese proverb that dates back to the 16th century known as Ichigo Ichie. It is a four-character proverb, which translates to “one time, one meeting.” It encourages us to be fully present, recognizing that every moment is fleeting and unique. Every experience and moment is unrepeatable. This concept urges us to treat each encounter as a singular event, deserving of our complete attention and appreciation.

The term reminds people to cherish any gathering that they may take part in, citing the fact that any moment in life cannot be repeated; even when the same group of people get together in the same place again, a particular gathering will never be replicated, and thus each moment is always a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
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This trip is hard to put into words. It is more of a feeling than words can describe. Our crew of 23 chefs, sommeliers and industry professionals from across the US hailing from LA, Manhattan/Brooklyn, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Chicago, DC and Philadelphia - we started as strangers and ended as the tight knit motley crew (in the best sense of this word) from The Breakfast Club. All learning and leaning into understand each others backgrounds, struggles and successes within all of our roles within this crazy industry. Resounding theme from all of us…AUTHENTIC HOSPITALITY at its core.

We were filmed the entire time by Tokyo Broadcasting System - so the footage we are looking forward to seeing…little did they know what they were getting into with 23 industry folks traveling across JAPAN fully immersing into the culture with immense amounts of A5 Wagyu and Sake…lots of sake 😬.

Thank you Nan Sato & @the.wagyu.sommelier, the Cabinet of Japan and Daisuke Nakajima of @drinkboken, Tokyo Broadcasting System & Sui-ka Travel.

We raise a glass & say Kampai
Arigato 🙏 Gozaimasu

#japan #tokyo #travel

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Spent three days in Chicago studying Wagyu at a deeper level.

From grading and genetics to breakdown and presentation — full immersion.

Level 1 Wagyu Sommelier certified.

Always a student. Always refining.

#Wagyu #WagyuEducation #ChefRosen #WagyuSommelier #ChefTravel

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Mastering the art of the marbled cut.
Chef Brian Lofink showcasing Wagyu Chuck Flank over Crispy Potato Rösti with Chimichurri during Day 2 of the Wagyu Sommelier Training.

📍North American Pizza and Culinary Academy @pizzaculinaryacademy

#WAGYU #wagyusomelier #chicago #foodies

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Boston university x Wagyu Sommelier Dec 25’
We held and amazing 3 day Wagyu Sommelier Level 1 Certification Course at @bufoodstudies
Everyone was absolutely fantastic, learning about what makes Wagyu so special and how to let it shine in a dish.
Scroll through to see how it went and to see some wonderful Wagyu dishes!

#wagyu #wagyubeef #wagyusommelier #foodstudies #chefs

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The Road to 2026 Has Begun!
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We are thrilled to be back open after a much needed break! That being said Nick & Christine are headed as we speak to Japan for a once in a lifetime trip and experience with 23 chefs, sommeliers and restauranteurs from across the US. We are deeply moved and grateful to our Japanese A5 Wagyu partner of @the.wagyu.sommelier for the invitation in December. Thank you Nan Sato, TBS (Tokyo Broadcasting System) and the entire team on the ground for what will be an amazing Japanese immersion. Follow us on all socials, Substack and sign up for our Newsletter emails to follow on our journey as we take you with us!

Cornerstone will be open while we are traveling from Jan 10th-22nd and run by our fantastic team. We look forward to seeing everyone at Cornerstone while we are traveling and see everyone on January 23rd for dinner service!

Check out our itinerary below and follow the journey! Christine & Nick will then head to Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo including visiting the infamous Tokyo Fish Market.
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Journey Highlights | Wagyu & Sake Tohoku Tour

Discover the essence of northern Japan through a thoughtfully curated journey dedicated to Wagyu and sake—two pillars of Japanese culinary heritage.

Over six days, this immersive experience leads you through Yamagata, Akita, and Iwate, regions where climate, craftsmanship, and centuries of tradition converge.
Master cattle farmers, historic sake brewers, and local artisans welcome you into their worlds, offering rare insight into practices refined over generations.

From visits to Wagyu production sites and a sake brewery with over 500 years of history,
to encounters with regional craftsmanship and local cuisine, this journey reveals how place, philosophy, and technique shape flavor and quality.

More than a tour, this is an invitation to engage deeply with the people, landscapes, and cultural intelligence that define Tohoku.

Journey Overview
Day 1: Tokyo – Welcome to Japan
Day 2: Yamagata – Wagyu
Day 3: Akita – Sake
Day 4: Iwate – Wagyu
Day 5: Iwate – Local Encounters
Day 6: Tokyo – Wagyu & Sake

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🎉 Congratulations to the incredible students of this quarter’s Wagyu Sommelier Course @drexelfhm ! 🥩✨
The class created a mouthwatering menu that showcased everything they’ve learned. 🍽️
From mastering flavor profiles to crafting dishes that honor Wagyu’s heritage with notes of the Caribbean. Their creativity truly shined! 🌟
#drexelfhm #wagyusommelier #futurechefs

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Grateful for the opportunity to complete the Wagyu Sommelier Certification Program. This experience deepened my understanding of Wagyu beyond marbling, exploring provenance, grading, craftsmanship, and the cultural values that shape one of the world’s most revered proteins. A meaningful step in continuing to teach and cook with intention, respect, and precision.

It was so awesome to get to try amazing food made with wagyu from many talented chefs.

My final project was “Seared and Spiced Hand-Pulled Noodles” I made hand-pulled noodles from scratch using wagyu fat, chili sauce with wagyu fat, seared wagyu from chuck tender shoulder, pickled cucumber, pickled radish, and microgreen.

Thank you Chef Brian @blofink1 , Professor Jonathan Deutsch, Professor Megan Elias, and Elika Iwasaki-Tucker @the.wagyu.sommelier @bufoodstudies @drexelfoodlab for the time, knowledge, and support!

Can’t wait to do the Level 2!
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♛ “COOKED with LOVE” ♛
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#Cooking #dinner #doyoucook #wagyu #wagyusommelier #traveltheworld #wagyufood #travel #cluj #japanesewagyu #wagyutartare #foodplating #foodphotography #cookingwagyu #feedfeed
#cheflife #foodforthought #wagyubeef #wagyulover #chefslife #exploreculture #cookingismypassion #wagyusteak #instafood #porklover #travelling
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♚ Ploy’s Kitchen ♚

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I am now a certified Wagyu Sommelier!! 🥩

What an amazing experience this was!! A 3-day Wagyu Certification program offered jointly by BU food studies and Drexel food lab!!
Learnt so much about a new ingredient, met a lot of amazing people and tasted creative menus from many chefs!
#foodlover #bugastronomy #bufoodstudies #drexelfoodlab #wagyu #cookingforacrowd #fusioncuisine

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@drexelfoodlab @drexelfhm @blofink1 @drjond @the.wagyu.sommelier @drexeluniv @thephillychefconference #foodscience #foodandbeverage #fandb #chef #kitchen #lab #thephillychef #phillychefconference

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We were on @6abcactionnews today! Thank you @6abcnick for stopping by and learning about what we do at the Drexel Food Lab! Link to the video is in our bio #foodinovationforgood #philly #drexel

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