Louis Fabbrini

Wine Director & Assistant General Manager

Louis Fabbrini began his career in hospitality at 18 years old when he moved to New York City to pursue a career in the kitchen. After holding multiple positions at restaurants throughout the city, he relocated to the Bay Area to try his hand at the front of house side of the city’s burgeoning fine dining scene.

While working as a floor manager at Locanda in San Francisco, Fabbrini developed a relationship with wine director Chris Wright, whom he credits with giving him the ‘bug’ for wine. He was drawn to Wright’s advocacy for winemakers committed to organic and biodynamic farming with minimal intervention in the cellar, and a preference for wines from lesser-known regions.

Leaving San Francisco, Fabbrini took on a series of roles around the world, serving as wine director for Carbone in Hong Kong, general manager of Toklas in London, wine director for Estela & Altro Paradiso in New York, and beverage director at Lulu at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. His nearly 15 years of distinguished experience in hospitality eventually led him to Chicago’s dynamic, high-end fine dining scene.

Fabbrini is a long time admirer of Chef John and Karen Urie Shields, beginning with their work at Town House in Virginia. He has considered them two of the most progressive chefs in the industry, consistently executing at levels that are a thrilling counterpart to their contemporaries.

As Wine Director at Smyth + The Loyalist, he works alongside Chef John as new ingredients arrive daily at the restaurant, playing around with what could be and what will be. He believes the wine pairing process at Smyth to be an intense series of refinement, culminating in a complimentary experience to Smyth’s ever-changing tasting menus.

He is building the wine program at Smyth + The Loyalist to encapsulate a spirit of discovery, marrying the expertise of established vintners from classic appellations with the innovative work of emerging winemakers in lesser known regions. At its core, the program champions low-intervention winemaking and a commitment to ecological sustainability, reflecting a narrative of global viticulture that is diverse and environmentally conscious. This approach aims to create a wine program that not only harmonizes with Smyth’s culinary ethos but also fosters a sense of exploration and stewardship, inviting guests to partake in a story that is as rich and nuanced as the flavors on their plate.