Big changes are underway at Canlis. Executive chef Aisha Ibrahim and co-owner Brian Canlis have both announced they are stepping down.

Ibrahim joined the Canlis team in 2021, making history as the restaurant’s first female executive chef, as well as its first Asian and queer chef since it opened in 1950. Her three and a half years at Canlis were marked by a commitment to innovation and inclusivity, drawing inspiration from her Filipino heritage and her experience at Michelin-starred Manresa in the Bay Area, and at sister restaurants Azurmendi in Spain and Aziamendi in Thailand. She was named one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs in 2023 and was a 2024 honoree on Time magazine’s TIME100 NEXT list. Her departure comes just weeks after her first James Beard nomination in the “Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific” category.

Ibrahim’s partner, Samantha Beaird, who is also Canlis’ sous chef, has announced plans to leave her position as well.

“The dream has always been to open my own restaurant and have my own stars,” Ibrahim told the New York Times, in a Feb. 5 story that suggests she and Beaird may be considering a move to a larger market, possibly Los Angeles or New York City. On Instagram, she wrote: “As I look forward to pursuing my own dreams and culinary vision in this next chapter of my career, I know I will miss all of you, and the Seattle community that has made us feel at home these last four years.” She also announced that her final service at Canlis will be April 8 and added, “See you again in our next chapter.” 

Brian Canlis, grandson of the restaurant’s original owner and impresario Peter Canlis, will also be stepping down. He and his older brother Mark Canlis have co-owned Canlis since 2007, taking the reins from their parents. The brothers were instrumental in steering the restaurant through the COVID-19 pandemic with a youthful bent and some creative solutions, including a cheeseburger drive-thru, a breakfast bagel hut, a summer crab shack, and delivery service for family-size meal kits. 

The younger Canlis says he’ll be moving to Nashville this summer with his wife and four kids to kick off a new project with restaurateur Will Guidara, who made his name at NYC’s Eleven Madison Park. He will sell his share of the restaurant to his brother Mark and Mark’s wife, Anne Marie, but will remain on the board. Mark Canlis will retain solo ownership, with Anne Marie Canlis joining the restaurant’s executive team. Mark told KIRO-7 that their other brother, Matt Canlis, will continue his work as a pastor in Eastern Washington and has no plans to work for the family’s restaurant.  

There’s no word yet on succession plans or the future direction of the kitchen. Here’s hoping the next round of leadership keeps Canlis as inspired and diverse as their predecessors did.