After a 2-Year Delay, Chef’s Table Makes Its Cafe Debut
"The emphasis will be on fresh, healthy, wholesome food…that's really what I do."
— Bruce Soffer
For Bruce Soffer and Ava Lang, husband and wife and business partners in the family-owned catering company Chef's Table, the path to running the JCC's cafe took somewhat longer to travel than expected.
The two were scheduled to take over the JCC's cafe operation under the new name Chef's Table Cafe at the JCC, at the end of March 2020. The physical shutdown of the JCC during the pandemic may have stalled those plans, but Soffer and Lang didn't let that turn of events sideline them indefinitely. And, as more and more programs take place in person, and the lobby and classrooms fill with people of all generations, the couple is preparing to welcome the JCC community back with a long-awaited opening in August.
"I think we can barely breathe, now that we know this moment is actually coming," says Lang, who handles the design and party planning end of their business. "It's been two and a half years in the making," she adds.
Soffer and Lang were far from idle during the many pandemic months. When the JCC had to shut its doors, and other venues across the city, including Congregation Ansche Chesed, where Chef's Table has been the in-house caterer for 15 years, put a hold on in-person events, Soffer and Lang used their experience—and inventory—to help out those who were helping others. They delivered approximately 2,000 meals to the medical students living in the dormitories at Mount Sinai Medical School, eventually doing the same for other area hospitals as well.
Helping feed people in need was not a new experience for Chef's Table. At Ansche Chesed, they've hosted an annual dinner for approximately 120 residents of homeless shelters for six years, with a break during 2020 and 2021 due to COVID. Lang, the floral designer and event planner for the company, organized the collection of gifts and much-needed items, and designed a beautiful event with flowers and special table settings. The meal was a high-end affair, from the food to the decor. "We wanted the guests to feel like they were in someone's living room," says Lang. "It was really something to see."
This year, the dinner was served in boxes, a catering style to which Soffer and Lang have become accustomed. They've also prepared approximately 500 individually boxed Passover meals since the pandemic began. They are looking forward to the day when boxed meals are a thing of the past.
Soffer, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, has been a caterer for the past 25 years. He got his start at the New York Academy of Sciences, where the catering venue he started became a multimillion dollar business, serving a host of prestigious clients over his 12 years there.
At Camp Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, NY, Soffer ran the kitchen for 19 years. The camp staff lives on the premises during the week, so Soffer prepared lunch for campers and staff each day, as well as breakfast and dinner for the staff. "Ramah gave me free rein to accomplish gorgeous food," he says. It also opened the door to another community through b'nai mitzvahs and weddings for camp friends and families. In addition to receiving accolades from a major food allergy awareness foundation for his work at Ramah and becoming the "go-to" b'nai mitzvah caterer for kids with allergies, he also was instrumental in changing the culture from one where the staff always ate at outside establishments to one where they literally had to make reservations to dine on site.
Soffer and Lang are honored to have been asked to cater a variety of life cycle events for multiple generations of many clients' families.
Soffer has a simple food philosophy: "It's important to me to show that kosher food doesn't have to be uninspired. Kosher food is delicious, and it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Service is very important as well," he says. "Good service makes for long standing customers."
At the JCC, customers can expect "delicious coffee and fresh food every day," says Soffer. Fresh sandwiches, soups, and salads are on the menu, as are breakfast fare like bagels with cream cheese and lox, and gourmet pastries. "The emphasis will be on fresh, healthy, wholesome food…that's really what I do." Lang and Soffer are also looking forward to offering candy and flowers, as well as gift baskets to go. "You can literally grab something here and be ready to go somewhere else," Lang says.
The menu, however, is not set in stone. "Part of my job is to listen to what people want," Soffer says.
Lang will use her experience to make sure the cafe is "efficient and beautiful," says Soffer, who also hopes to cater Shabbat dinners at the JCC as well as other special events.
At the JCC, the cafe will be under the rabbinical supervision of Rabbi Avrohom Marmorstein.
Soffer also has plans to update the cafe's layout and hopes to increase the number of seats, giving the cafe "a fresh look. I want people to pass by and see that something new is going on here."
Soffer and Lang are not the only ones excited that Chef's Table Cafe is finally opening its doors. The JCC community and staff, including CEO Rabbi Joanna Samuels, have been eagerly awaiting its arrival as well. "I'm thrilled about the reopening," Samuels says, "and I look forward to our community and staff gathering together once again in the cafe."
Chef's Table Cafe Hours
Located in the JCC Lobby
Mon-Fri: 8 am-4 pm
Sun: 8:30 am-3:30 pm
Also located in the JCC's lobby is the Laurie M. Tisch Gallery, featuring rotating art installations and exhibits. The gallery is open during JCC business hours, walk-ins are welcome and admission is free.
The JCC offers room rentals, with catering opportunities from Chef's Table Cafe, for your next event. Unique spaces for event rentals include the Gymnasium, Goldman-Sonnenfeldt Family Auditorium, Rooftop, and more.
The JCC is open Mon-Fri: 6 am-10 pm and Sat/Sun 7 am-9 pm. The Membership Office is open Mon-Thu: 9 am-5 pm, Fri: 9 am-4 pm, Sun: 10 am-5 pm.
Sherri Lerner is the former editorial director at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan. She has written and edited for numerous publications and is currently on the staff of the Wechsler Center.