Born and raised in Lexington, Brian Walters brings over two decades of dedicated service to the city’s dynamic food and beverage scene. Walters launched his hospitality career in Detroit, Michigan as a server, working his way up in establishments including Dudley’s on Short and Local Feed before joining 21c Lexington team in 2017. Now serving as the Food & Beverage Director, Brian strives to create an atmosphere where every guest feels not only welcomed, but also immersed in a culinary journey. He is driven by the belief that food and wine have the power to create lasting memories and connections, making every dining experience a unique and meaningful one. Brian remains deeply connected to his roots in Lexington, where he continues to contribute to the local community. His love for the city and its culinary offerings serves as a driving force behind his commitment to bringing the best of the region to the guests he serves, leaving a lasting impression to all those who have the pleasure of experiencing his hospitality. In his spare time, you can often find Brian exploring the latest culinary trends, seeking inspiration for new dishes and beverages and spending time with his wife, new baby girl and dogs on their farm.
Stephen Holden, part of the original opening team at Lockbox inside 21c Museum Hotel Lexington, now leads the kitchen as Executive Chef, bringing a thoughtful, seasonal perspective to the restaurant’s evolving culinary identity. A Lexington native and longtime contributor to the region’s food scene, Holden has helped shape Lockbox’s creative direction since its inception, with a focus on regional sourcing and globally influenced techniques.
Holden’s menus are driven by the seasons and informed by his exploration of global cuisines—his travels have helped define a style that is ingredient-driven, technique-forward, and conceptually layered. With an academic background in philosophy from Transylvania University, Holden brings a deliberate, intentional approach to cooking—one that balances the practical demands of the kitchen with a deeper inquiry into what food means and how it’s experienced.
Drawing influence from chefs and authors like Sean Brock, Melissa Martin, William Dissen, Jason Hammel, and Jeremy Fox, Holden’s work showcases a reverence for Kentucky ingredients, often reimagined through a contemporary lens. Rather than conforming to a single culinary style, he blends tradition, personal experience, and contemporary technique into a distinctive and evolving approach.
When he’s not in the kitchen, Holden is likely spending weekends with his partner Rachel and their dog Bernard sharing meals, having adventures, exploring estate sales, crate-digging for vinyl, and flower gardening.
THU 6.15.17 6:30pm $65 per person Do you love a fine wine? Craft beer? Sipping bourbon? So do we. Join Lockbox for our Fork + Bottle dinner series, where we highlight our favorite guest brewers, distillers and winemakers with special pairings for a prix fixe prepared by executive chef Jonathan Searle. For our second dinner, … Continued
You love mom, mom loves brunch. Treat your number one fan to a scrumptious Mother’s Day Brunch menu by executive chef Jonathan Searle. Choose from mom-approved favorites like the Spring Vegetable Quiche with KY asparagus, wild mushrooms, new potatoes, gruyere, bacon jam and local lettuces, or the Kentucky Ham Melt with house ham, havarti, fried egg & … Continued
The air is blossoming with springtime in Kentucky, but leave foraging to the bunnies. Chef Jonathan Searle is whipping up a special Easter brunch menu which is fully stocked with farm fresh ingredients so you won’t have to lift a finger. Come indulge in dishes like the Traditional Easter Dinner with a slow roasted Easter ham, braised greens, … Continued
Horses are getting wings under their feet for Derby day and we’re all glowing with Julep fever! Introducing the magical Java Julep, a julep for the daring connoisseur of the famed Derby drink. “I recently developed a citrus allergy and I have been playing around with alternative ways to bring acidity to cocktails without fruit.” Says … Continued
The 21c Selects program is bringing you an exclusive new way of enjoying Kentucky’s favorite spirits. Our hand-picked barrels have been bottled in limited quantities for our guests to enjoy. You can enjoy these as tasting flights in Lockbox and if you love it, you can go ahead and take a whole bottle home from our 21c Lexington Museum … Continued
