New Faces Abound at FEED TX
Laurie Sheddan Harvey, center in green dress, is now overseeing the beverage program for FEED TX.
A year ago, Laurie Sheddan Harvey was changing minds and palates at Sanctuari, the bar-within-a-restaurant at Triniti. Today, she's the new beverage director for the FEED TX restaurant group that includes BRC Gastropub, Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar, Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette and Liberty Kitchen-Austin. It's a big new appointment for Harvey, who will now be overseeing the drink programs at all of the restaurants, as well as training the bar staff and buying all the tasty craft beer that BRC is known for, among other purchases for the restaurant group.
"Laurie’s extensive professional background and expertise within the beverage industry make her the ideal choice for this position," said Lee Ellis, owner of FEED TX (and the newly opened Lee's Fried Chicken and Donuts; that's his likeness enshrined in neon at the corner of Heights and 6th). "We are thrilled that she is a part of our extraordinary team and I know she will take our beverage program to a whole new level for our guests."
Rob Hebert, left, is the new executive chef at BRC Gastropub and Jeremiah Ackerman is the new general manager.
That's not the only big change Ellis has made recently; he's also appointed a new executive chef and general manager at BRC Gastropub. BRC's new chef, Rob Hebert, has been behind the line for years at various restaurants in Oklahoma and Texas, but moved to Houston in 2013 to act as the executive sous chef at Liberty Kitchen & Oyster Bar. New GM Jeremiah Ackerman, meanwhile, began his restaurant industry career as a server with the Pappas group before working his way up the ranks at Smith & Wollensky and McCormick & Schmick’s. He graduated first in his class from Johnson & Wales University with an associate in culinary arts, in addition to obtaining his BBA from Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches.
"We are super excited to have Rob move to BRC and helm the kitchen as executive chef. He possesses an incredible mixture of experience, creativity, and foresight and our customers are going to love what this dynamic chef creates for them,” says Ellis. "Jeremiah’s industry experience, education and his passion for excellent customer service make him a perfect fit. We know he and Rob will not only provide consistently great food and service, but also help to preserve that feeling of comfort that our customers have come to love and rely on at BRC Gastropub."
