VOTED BEST NEW RESTAURANT IN 2019 by cleveland magazine

Mike Smith, Owner + Executive Chef

Nearly thirty years in the restaurant industry will teach you a few things. For Mike Smith — owner, executive chef, and the force behind Thyme Table, Thyme Catering, and Trust Coffee Co. — the most important lesson has always been the simplest one: take care of your people.

A Bay Village fixture and Cleveland Magazine's 2021 Best Chef of the West Side, Smith started at 15 and has since cooked for presidents, celebrities, and athletes. These days, he's just as focused on the table in the corner where the same family has been coming for years.

Whether it's an intimate dinner service or a 300-person wedding at one of Cleveland's finest venues, Smith brings the same eye for detail and the same standard to everything that leaves his kitchen. The concept, as he puts it, is simple: Good food. Good drinks. Good friends.

Eric Scott, Operating Partner + Barkeep

Eric, originally from Detroit (don’t hold it against him), worked in the automotive marketing industry for many years before moving to Cleveland to pursue a career in hospitality in 2010. He has been with Thyme Table since it's conception and his vision was to bring a world class beverage program to the area while still maintaining an easy neighborhood charm. Since becoming a partner, Eric runs the day to day operations of the restaurant while still staying true to his desire to his passion behind the bar and Thyme's beverage program. He spends plenty of time behind the bar serving guests and dropping bad (good) dad jokes as often as possible.

Eric has been a part of the Tales Of The Cocktail’s apprentice program since 2017 and has been under the mentorship of the world's top sommeliers, mixologists and cocktail historians. He’s passed the vaunted BAR 5 Day certification in spirits and cocktails and has studied and been awarded in wine through the WSET program. The bar team’s work has been featured in numerous publications such as Wall Street Journal, Forbes as well as being named to the Top 30 restaurant bars in America in 2022.

Eric lives here in Bay Village with his family.

Laura Jerina, Pastry Chef

Around the Village this "sweet" gal needs no introduction. Laura Jerina grew up in Bay Village and received her culinary degree from IUP Academy of Culinary Arts. She has since traveled around the States and has served as a pastry chef for over a decade before hanging up her apron to raise her girls.. She recently moved back to CLE and started in the catering kitchen at THYME in 2017. She has been invaluable to us and we’re thrilled to have her join us full time as our pastry chef at the restaurant. Laura focuses on creating visually stunning pastries and desserts that taste exceedingly better than they look. Her attention to the entire dessert experience is admirable.

Gaby Holzer, Lead Bartender

Gaby, originally from New Jersey, studied art and design at the University of Michigan before making her way to Cleveland. Utilizing her creativity and proclivity for hospitality, Gaby Holzer has been behind the bar for eight years and here at Thyme Table the last three. Gaby's creativity and attention to detail has helped to conceptualize what Thyme Table's cocktail program is today.

Gaby has very recently earned the title, Red Coat, with Tales of the Cocktail's CAP program. There she has fine-tuned her craft while simultaneously learning about both the history and future of cocktails. Gaby is a leader in the industry competing in cocktail competitions across the states such as Remy Martin's "Bartender Talent Academy Cocktail" competition, "Bacardi Legacy", Mount Gay's "More Taste Less Waste" competition and most recently, regional winner for Woodford Reserve's "Manhattan Experience".

Gaby's talents stretch beyond the bar as well. Her illustrations have graced our cocktail menu more than a few times.

Rick Ellet, Chef de Cuisine

Chef Rick’s love of food started with a spark of curiosity — inspired by shows like Iron Chef and Emeril — and grew into a passion for pushing boundaries in the kitchen. With eight years of experience, his style leans Asian-inspired, but his real focus is taking familiar ingredients and turning them into something entirely new.

His menus are driven by seasonality and experimentation, always aiming to surprise guests and encourage them to step outside their comfort zones — and leave feeling glad they did.

Outside the kitchen, Rick is full of contrasts: a self-proclaimed nerd who loves Dungeons & Dragons and comic books, but also enjoys camping and time in nature. His go-to meal? A simple bowl of noodles.

Rick joined Thyme Table after being inspired by Chef Julie Chimes, whose creativity and approach to cooking helped shape his own.

Jen Linton, Floor Manager

Chef. Manager. The One Who Somehow Does It All.

We knew Jen was something special the moment we met her. In fact, we brought her on in April 2025 before we even had a title in mind — we just knew she belonged here.

From day one, Jen’s energy, work ethic, and genuine hospitality have set the tone. She moves effortlessly between the kitchen and the dining room, creating an experience that feels seamless, thoughtful, and truly welcoming. She’s the calm behind the scenes and the friendly face out front — the kind of person who makes everything (and everyone) better.

Jen’s love of food began early, cooking alongside her grandmothers at just five years old. She later attended Pennsylvania Culinary School and built her career in both Washington, D.C. and Northeast Ohio. You may recognize her from Three Birds, Nemo, or the InterContinental Hotel — she’s done it all, and then some.

At her core, Jen is passionate about creating memorable menus, leading with heart, and making people feel genuinely cared for.

When she’s not at Thyme Table, you’ll find her reading, watching movies, or spending time with her daughter, husband, and close friends.

And if you hear a laugh before you see her — that’s Jen. Don’t be shy… she’d love for you to say hi.