Joji Sumi, Chef
Chef Joji Sumi is solidly committed to sourcing local ingredients from the surrounding region and partnering with like-minded farms in our community. His “farm to table” philosophy translates to procuring the best-quality produce, meats, cheeses and other local foods to create a superior product for Mezze Bistro guests. Sumi has daily dialog with many farmers and makes a concerted effort to bring his kitchen staff to the farms to help with seasonal harvests and participate in the butchering of the food that is on his changing menus.
Sumi came to Mezze Bistro + Bar in October 2007 after working as head baker and pastry chef for Midland Country Club in Michigan. His 15-plus years of culinary experience include positions ranging from line cook and sous chef to head chef. Over the past few years, the Japanese-American chef has developed the Mezze Bistro + Bar menu to reflect his background, blending classic French technique with the influences of his Asian heritage.
Sumi is increasingly inspired by the availability of fresh seasonal ingredients in the Berkshire region. The changing of the seasons provides him with a natural backdrop for an interesting and ever-evolving menu at Mezze Bistro + Bar.
Caitlin Harrison, Front-of-House Manager
Born and raised in the Berkshires, Caitlin has been working in restaurants since she’s been old enough to be legally employed. Upon graduation from UMass Amherst in 2007, she moved out to the Bay Area and worked the food scene at a neighborhood brasserie called Wood Tavern. It is there she began her journey of the ‘guest experience,’ learning lessons of graciousness and hospitality, and making the right decisions.
Caitlin moved to Boston in March of 2009 and worked at Eastern Standard Kitchen and Drinks where her passion for food, cocktail and wine knowledge flourished in a place that holds everyone to high standards.
In May of 2010, she returned to the Berkshires as manager and beverage director at Mission Bar + Tapas in Pittsfield. She worked alongside the owner to take the business from a five-nights-a-week establishment to seven nights a week, serving tapas from 12 pm to 12 am with wine and beer until 1 am. Caitlin’s experience in cultivating a real wine program began at Mission where she launched ‘Wine School’ and wine dinners, highlighting wines of different locations from around the world.
Caitlin is thrilled to be working with the staff at Mezze Bistro + Bar and building on the foundation of a farm-to-table mission where sourcing of product is the key component to building the experience. She has lots of energy and enthusiasm and has plans to lead a wine program and tasting events Mezze Bistro + Bar in the coming months.
Nancy Thomas,
Co-founder + Proprietor
Nancy Thomas, local food advocate and restaurateur, grew up in Oklahoma City with a Moroccan mother and Oklahoman father who truly valued hospitality. Her family inspiration led her to a life in the restaurant industry beginning in 1984. She has explored the world of food from the far off Mediterranean Sea and the panhandle of Texas to a variety of cities on the East Coast until she landed in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts.
Thomas’ vision led her to founding Mezze Bistro + Bar in its first location on Water Street in Wiliamstown in 1996. The success of Mezze Bistro + Bar led to the birth of Mezze Catering in 1999, which continues to allow the restaurant group to bring the original Mezze dining experience to guests throughout the region. In 2001, Thomas opened Eleven at MASS MoCA, her second restaurant, housed at the nation’s largest contemporary arts center. Reincarnated as Café Latino at MASS MoCA several years later, the restaurant served patrons for eight years at its museum location. In 2007, Allium Restaurant + Bar was opened in Great Barrington and has been well received with accolades and great reviews.
Thomas is dedicated to creating extraordinary dining experiences reminiscent of her childhood memories. She is an advocate for shaping a community of sustainable agriculture and, with her restaurants and catering company, has created a means by which consumers can lay down values with their dollars and support the local economy. Committed to the local food movement, Thomas maintains that cooking should be based on the finest and freshest seasonal ingredients that are produced locally and sustainably.
Thomas is the co-author of The Great Tiki Drink Book and contributor to Caribbean Cocktails with Jennifer Trainer Thompson (both published by Ten Speed Press.) She is a board member of Berkshire Grown the Berkshire Visitors Bureau, Berkshire Creative and 1Berkshire.
Bo Peabody, Co-founder
Bo Peabody is an expert in consumer-oriented businesses and forward-thinking cultural movements as well as a well-known technology and media entrepreneur. His first company, Tripod — one of the original social networks — was the eighth largest website on the Internet when it was sold to Lycos (1998.) His second company, Village Ventures — an early stage venture capital firm — pioneered the new global trend toward smaller funds. Peabody also co-founded Streetmail (1998, now called Everyday Health), VoodooVox (2000), Health Guru (2004) and UplayMe (2006.) An advocate for building community and supporting the local economy, Peabody co-owns Mezze Restaurant Group with partner Nancy Thomas.
Peabody is featured regularly in major business and consumer publications, and has received numerous honors. He wrote a book for entrepreneurs called Lucky or Smart?, which was published by Random House in January 2005. He speaks about technology and entrepreneurship at conferences and business schools across the globe.
A graduate of Williams College, Peabody resides New York City and Williamstown, MA, and is on the board of The Academy at Charlemont.
