Acclaimed Chef Stephan Bogardus Leaves North Fork Table

SOUTHOLD, NY — A popular local chef has announced he is leaving the North Fork Table & Inn after almost two years — and heading off into his next chapter.

The North Fork Table & Inn said in a release Thursday that the eatery welcomes Brian Wilson as its new executive chef as Stephan Bogardus bids his adieu.

Wilson, 44, has more than 15 years experience and a strong background in French and Italian cuisine, the release said. Prior to joining North Fork Table & Inn, Wilson was executive chef at Restaurant Montmartre in Washington, D.C. He also was chef/owner of La Rive Breton in Maryland, and earlier in his career, he held various positions in D.C, including at Tallula/Eat Bar, Restaurant 2941 and Palena, where he worked under James Beard award winner and Former White House chef Frank Ruta.

Wilson replaces Bogardus, "who has left to pursue other opportunities," according to the North Fork Table & Inn.

Bogardus helped to steer the path after the entire community was left reeling by the death of beloved North Fork Table & Inn owner and chef Gerry Hayden.

“We are delighted to welcome Brian to our North Fork family and are looking forward to a great 2019 season together. And we're grateful for to Stephan for his service when we needed him most, after Gerry's passing. His passion and talent were a great asset to our team," owner Claudia Fleming said.

Wilson said he is "absolutely honored and excited" to be selected to lead the kitchen at North Fork Table and Inn. "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.

Bogardus, who recently became engaged to love Allegra Borghese, leaves a lasting legacy; he infused his culinary creations with his passion for excellence and international influences.

In 2018, he shared his life-altering odyssey and experience in India with Patch. The images and memories of his journey were deeply entwined in his consciousness forever and Bogardus also brought home an array of spices for his menu, along with memories emblazoned on his heart forever.

In 2017, when he took the reins at the North Fork Table and Inn, Bogardus discussed his path with Patch — and how profoundly impacted his life had been Hayden, whose death in 2015 after a battle with ALS was a forever loss to the community.

Bogardus said being a chef was something he's aspired to since he was a small boy.

"I think my path was set in my childhood. When I was 3 or 4 years old, my mom would let me cut vegetables for our holiday meals. I even had my own station on a cutting board that would pull out from the counter," he said.

Early in his career, a chef and mentor suggested culinary school and explained the potential within the food service community, he said; he looked into the "possibilities and expansiveness" of the industry, learned about refined cuisine and the Culinary Institute of America, where he studied, and then, the Michelin Guide.

"I was hooked!" he said.

The North Fork Table was Bogardus' first job out of culinary school.

"I knocked on the door of the North Fork Table and was hired by Gerry Hayden. I learned so much from him, including how to manage and run a kitchen. The experience gave me the tools to grow and transition from a cook to a chef. No successful path is easy, but North Fork Table provided me with the opportunity to start my career at one of the top tier restaurants in the industry," he said.

Reflecting on Hayden, Bogardus said, "Gerry was an incredible chef and he had a profound influence on me. He instilled in me his values: Buy the best, work with the best, always focus on what you're doing and constantly improve. His culinary talent, his point of view, and his ideas on how to manipulate food were extraordinary, but what stands out the most was the way he handled himself. He was constantly evaluating himself, always progressing and striving to improve. Very few people work that hard at adapting themselves to become the individual they want to be. "

Bogardus, born and raised in Cutchogue, said being raised in a seasonally driven community such as the North Fork, "I felt it was important to spread my wings and explore what else was out there." He initially left Long Island and went to work for Daniel Boulud's Dinex Group in Florida, and then for a country club in upstate New York before coming back to the North Fork Table & Inn in 2017.

Of carrying on Chef Hayden's legacy, Bogardus said it was an honor, as though he was "doing the right thing, in the right place, at the right time."

Patch file photo courtesy of Mark Jordan.

Patch photo of Brian Wilson courtesy North Fork Table & Inn.