As General Manager of The Surf Club Restaurant, Tom Mackenzie brings a wealth of experience to the role. Before joining Chef Thomas Keller’s team, Tom was the Managing Partner of Happy Crew Hospitality Group and the Managing Director of Wine Spectator New York. In these roles, he oversaw all dining and management operations at The Tavern by WS, a contemporary American brasserie open to the public, and WS New York, a food and wine-focused private membership club located in Hudson Yards, Manhattan.

Prior to his time at WS New York, Tom served as General Manager at Manhatta, a restaurant by restaurateur Danny Meyer and the Union Square Hospitality Group. There, he successfully managed the opening of the restaurant and its event space, The Bay Room, on the 60th floor of Chase Plaza on Wall Street. Tom also spent fifteen years in various roles, including a managerial position at The Modern, a two-Michelin-starred restaurant in The Museum of Modern Art.

Originally from the UK, Tom graduated from the University of Leeds with a Bachelor of Science degree. Before moving to New York, he held managerial positions at some of London’s most esteemed restaurants, including J Sheekey Restaurant and Atlantic Bar, where he was named to the “30 Under 30” list by CODE Hospitality.

Tom began his career in hospitality working as a Maître d’Hotel at the London institution The Wolseley under Chris Corbin and Jeremy King. He also played an instrumental role as Front of House Manager for the opening of The Colony Grill Room and the five-star Beaumont Hotel Mayfair in 2014.

As Chef de Cuisine, Cornelia Sühr leads the kitchen and teams at The Surf Club Restaurant, overseeing operations, mentorship, and menu development with an undeniable attention to detail and nearly twenty years of experience.

Originally from Dorf Ganzow, Germany, Cornelia is one of five siblings and credits her family’s culinary background—spanning chefs, cook and pastry chefs—for instilling in her a deep fascination and love for cooking. In her early teens, she took her first summer job during a stage at Rauchhaus Möllin, picking herbs, peeling potatoes and mastering the basics, piquing her interest in the profession even more.

Later in her career, she honed her skills in competitions throughout Europe placing first in the German Regional Youth Competition for Chefs as well as placing in The Escoffier Challenge for Great Britain and the St. Pellegrino Young Chef Award for the U.K. and Ireland.

Cornelia’s culinary career has taken her across the globe, seeking learning opportunities and mastering techniques in Germany, the U.K., Dubai and the United States. She has held positions in prestigious dining establishments: Jean Georges at the Four Seasons Hotel, SHUN, The Carlyle, St. Regis Hotel in Dubai, Le Cirque at Ritz Carlton Dubai, The Grill at the Dorchester by Alain Ducasse, The Savoy Hotel, and Atelier at Bayerischer Hof, among others. She holds a culinary degree with distinction from Berufschulzenturm Nord in Wismar, Germany.

Throughout her career, Cornelia has benefited from the guidance of remarkable mentors, an experience she eagerly anticipates passing on to the chefs at The Surf Club Restaurant and continuing to foster a culture of excellence in Chef Keller’s kitchens.

As Pastry Chef of The Surf Club Restaurant, Odille Arias oversees the production of all the desserts, bread and viennoiserie for the restaurant. In addition to managing and guiding her team, Odille is responsible for ensuring the exceptionally high standards set by Chef Keller and Chef de Cuisine Michael DeCicco.

Odille was first introduced to the hospitality industry as a copywriter specializing in travel and food. Feeling inspired, she went to culinary school, where she enjoyed the change in pace and newfound creativity. After receiving her AA in Baking and Pastry Arts from Johnson & Wales University, Odille began her career as a Pastry Chef at Vanille Patisserie in Chicago, Illinois, and later served as the Executive Pastry Chef at Bagatelle in Miami Beach, Florida, among many other dining establishments. Odille joined The Surf Club Restaurant as Pastry Sous Chef in 2018, inspired by the restaurant’s concept and era of influence.

Her love for food and desserts began as a writer but flourished as a chef. Odille has always loved the creativity that the kitchen offers, as well as its energetic pace and atmosphere.

As Beverage Director, Michel Couvreux develops the beverage programs for Chef Keller’s casual and fine dining restaurants. He relies on his tenure as Beverage Director, East Coast and as head sommelier at Per Se, where he managed their extensive wine program and developed the wine education program for the restaurant’s dining room team. Couvreux joined Per Se in September 2009, bringing 20 years of experience at some of the world’s top dining establishments. During his tenure, Per Se was recognized by Wine Spectator for its extraordinary wine program and received the Grand Award in 2013 and in each subsequent year. In 2018, Wine Enthusiast inducted Per Se into its Restaurant Hall of Fame for continual recognition of appearing on America’s Best Wine Restaurants.

Couvreux launched his career in his native country, France. There, he held posts in top restaurants throughout Paris, including the three-starred Michelin Restaurant L’Arpege and Restaurant Guy Savoy. In 1993, Couvreux relocated to New York City to work as a sommelier at Restaurant Bouley. Shortly after, he garnered the post of Head Sommelier at Eric Ripert’s Le Bernardin, where he spent ten years developing and managing the restaurant’s wine program. Couvreux later joined Restaurant Cru, where he managed the restaurant’s Grand Award Wine list.

Couvreux holds an Advanced Master Sommelier Certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Additionally, he has received numerous accolades for his contributions within the industry, including “Top Wine List New York City” from Gourmet magazine for his work at Le Bernardin, Wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence” along with the recognition as “One of the great Sommeliers in America” by New York Magazine. He has also been profiled in The World of Fine Wine and in Wine Spectator.