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Glenn Harris and Jeffrey Lefcourt In 2000, front- and back-of-house duo Glenn Harris and Jeffery Lefcourt formed Corner Table Restaurants (CTR), dedicated to offering consistently exceptional cuisine at moderate prices to guests of all ages, for all occasions. In May 2000, Harris and Lefcourt opened Jane Restaurant in Greenwich Village, their first CTR property, with Harris conceptualizing the menu and Lefcourt as managing partner. At this approachable American Bistro, Harris and Lefcourt attracted neighborhood regulars and destination diners alike with value-priced brunch, lunch and dinner menus. After years of proven success downtown, Harris and Lefcourt expanded to the Upper West Side and opened The Neptune Room in 2004. Inspired by Harris’ favorite past-time of fishing, The Neptune room filled a void in the selection of dining experiences in the neighborhood delivering a variety of seafood options. In November 2007, location again guided Harris and Lefcourt to open their third restaurant, The Smith in the East Village. Recognizing the success of Jane Restaurant’s signature $12 Sunday suppers, Harris and Lefcourt structured The Smith’s seasonal American menu with moderate price points to satisfy the neighborhood’s need for value-oriented food in a casual, upbeat environment. Brian Ellis After over four years running the kitchen as executive chef at Jane Restaurant, Brian Ellis takes helm of the stoves as chef at The Smith to execute the menu Harris constructed. Ellis began his culinary education at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. After graduating with a Degree in Culinary Arts in 1999, he took a job as line cook at Beacon Restaurant in New York City where he cooked under executive chef Waldy Malouf at his fine dining, high volume restaurant. There, Ellis began at garde manager and worked his way through all the kitchen stations. He continued to hone his skills in kitchens around New York including personal chef jobs in Montauk and Fisher’s Island. In 2002, he returned to Manhattan where he took a position as chef de partie managing private catering at Rocco DiSpirito’s three-star Union Pacific. In 2003, he joined the kitchen staff at Brasserie 360 as sous chef where he was instrumental in opening the restaurant that received two stars from The New York Times during his term. At Corner Table Restaurants, Ellis has collaborated with owner Glenn Harris on inventive dishes with free range meats, poultry and seasonal, local and organic produce in addition to managing the kitchen teams. At The Smith, Ellis once again head’s the kitchen, carrying out Harris’ menu and overseeing a staff of twenty to serve brunch, lunch and dinner seven days a week. For more information about The Smith, please contact Nikki Reiss (nreiss@baltzco.com)
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