Acclaimed local chef Stephan Bogardus will helm the kitchen at The Halyard, the waterfront restaurant at Sound View in Greenport.
Bogardus, 30, who left his post as executive chef at the North Fork Table & Inn last month, will make his debut at the restaurant today, Valentine’s Day.
The chef said he decided to part ways with North Fork Table & Inn after a bid he made to purchase the celebrated restaurant fell through last year. But while still chef at North Fork Table & Inn, which had been on the market since 2013, Bogardus and others had been involved in discussions with The Halyard about the possibility of a collaboration between the two locations. So when he moved on, the Greenport eatery was a natural fit.
“I talked to a couple different places on the North Fork and this seemed like the best opportunity,” the Mattituck High School graduate said.
Bogardus has drawn much attention from diners and the food media in his two stints at North Fork Table, which has been widely regarded as one of the East End’s top restaurants. Once dubbed “Long Island’s next great chef” by Long Island Pulse magazine, the Culinary Institute of America graduate started at the restaurant as chef de cuisine in 2011, working alongside noted executive chef Gerry Hayden. Bogardus left in 2013, but returned to the restaurant following Mr. Hayden’s death two years later.
“We’re grateful to Stephan for his service when we needed him most, after Gerry’s passing,” North Fork Table co-owner Claudia Fleming said in a statement last week. “His passion and talent were a great asset to our team.”
Ms. Fleming said Brian Wilson, a former executive chef at Restaurant Montmartre in Washington, D.C., has taken over at North Fork Table. “We are delighted to welcome Brian to our North Fork family and are looking forward to a great 2019 season together,” she said.
Mr. Wilson, 44, said he’s excited to lead the kitchen at the acclaimed establishment.
“To be a part of this ‘family’ and to be surrounded by the amazing bounty that Long Island has to offer, from farms to seafood to wine, is truly this chef’s dream come true,” he said in a statement.
Bogardus, meanwhile, takes over a 150-seat restaurant previously led by James Beard Award-winning chef Galen Zamarra, who opened it in the summer of 2017 but left last year. The restaurant, owned by Eagle Point Hotel Partners, is known for its sweeping views of Long Island Sound and its vintage piano bar. It had been previously owned by the Levin family of Greenport for nearly 50 years.
Bogardus said the ambiance was a big draw for him to join the team at The Halyard.
“The view obviously speaks for itself,” he said. “But also the attention to detail in the renovation, there’s a real opportunity for this place to sing.”
While he’s still developing his menu, the chef said diners can expect “salty seaside classics” with a modern flair. Expect bay scallops and other local fish, fresh produce from area farm stands and steak and handmade pasta options.
“Identifiable Americana classics you’d expect from a seaside venue,” Bogardus said of the menu.
The chef said a bar menu will also be available and Jack’s Shack will reopen poolside in the summer. Catering will also still be available.
The Halyard will be open Friday through Sunday until June, when its hours of operation will expand back to seven days per week.
Bogardus said he’s also “actively seeking trained front-of-the-house staff and driven eager-to-learn cooks.”
“We’re looking to expand our family,” he said.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story suggested The North Fork Table & Inn is still for sale. It is not. Also, the correct number of seats for The Halyard is 150.
