The Bar
OUR STORY
Our crown jewel: the historic Cedar Tavern bar of Greenwich Village in New York City. Built in 1866 out of pure mahogany from South America, the Cedar Tavern held court for more than 140 years in three different locations in New York City.
A living piece of history, it was the watering hole of choice for many notable artists, abstract expressionists, beat writers, and folk musicians. On any given night you might have seen Jackson Pollock drinking and fighting with Willem DeKooning or Jack Kerouac. Or overhear Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, or Allen Ginsberg marinate on their next project.
In 2006, the Cedar Tavern Bar closed for good to make way for an onslaught of commercial growth. The partners of Eberly, who had also spent more than a few evenings spinning tall tales at the bar, didn't want to see this work of art end its run. So they purchased the bar, had it dismantled and moved to Austin, where it sat in storage, patiently waiting to paint its next canvas. It was a legendary place, and its beating heart–the bar–fits perfectly within the walls of Eberly, and in the soul of Austin.
THE TEAM
General Manager
Catherine Ramirez
Catherine Ramirez is the General Manager at Eberly. Originally from Long Beach, California, she moved to Texas at a young age, and at 20, she moved to Melbourne, Australia, to further her passion for bartending. Ramirez landed at Left Bank Melbourne, where she learned hundreds of cocktail recipes, a variety of techniques, the art of delivering quality drinks in high-volume settings, and the metric system from a diverse group of bartenders. Upon her return to Texas, she started as a bartender at Benji’s Cantina and later moved into management as the bar grew. She joined Eberly as a bartender just before it opened, but after an injury, she took a role in administration and worked her way up to General Manager.
Ramirez believes that staying connected to the ever-evolving food scene is crucial and focuses her desire to learn, solve problems, and contribute creatively to helping Eberly grow. She considers the restaurant a second home and mentors her team through open communication and fair, thoughtful leadership. When she’s not at Eberly, you can find Ramirez staying active on the golf or tennis court, thrifting, and, of course, enjoying a good meal with friends (especially at a spring crawfish boil) .
Maître d'
Tommy Maitland
Executive Chef
Sarah Seghi
Sarah Seghi is the Executive Chef of Eberly in Austin, TX. She prioritizes quality and consistency in all her dishes and strives to produce work that meets the highest standard. Seghi is driven by an insatiable craving for knowledge and is constantly learning and creating alongside her team, who she encourages to develop their own recipes.
Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Sarah Seghi spent her childhood making memories around food—learning to make cappelletti from her grandmother, cooking Sunday dinners with her family, and serving up soups and sandwiches at her parents’ lakeside “concession stand.” She nurtured her passion for cooking and pastry at Westmoreland County Community College culinary school and started her career as a pastry cook at Rolling Rock Club. She began her journey at Eberly as the Executive Pastry Chef and worked her way up to Executive Chef. In her free time, she likes to go on adventures with her wife and spend time with her two dogs, Bowie and Jones, and her cat, Puss.
Tommy Maitland is almost as famous as the historic Cedar Tavern. Born and raised in NYC, this avid Yankees fan is an extension of the Tavern’s rich history as it was also his local bar and hangout for many years. Tommy spent a great deal of the early 90’s as an art dealer in SOHO before transitioning to hospitality where he managed old-school midtown steakhouses and Irish pubs throughout NYC. Tommy arrived in Austin in 2016 to open Eberly and breathe new life into the ancient bar as part storyteller, part house historian and part guest concierge. When he’s not giving “Tommy Tours” of our unique spaces, he’s likely at a live music venue catching an epic show.
Bar Manager
Aaron Smith
Chef de Cuisine
Conner Gilbreath
Born and raised in Columbus, Georgia, Chef Conner Gilbreath’s culinary journey began at the age of 16 when he first stepped into a professional kitchen. He started off as a dishwasher, then pitmaster and line cook, and now works as Chef de Cuisine at Eberly in Austin, TX.
At Eberly, Conner Gilbreath embraces his southern heritage and creativity and has focused on developing the menu alongside Chef Sarah Seghi for the last two years. His interest in food sustainability has led him to work with fermentation to limit food waste and inspired him to create dishes with unique flavor profiles. To remain ahead of the curve, Gilbreath pushes himself and his team to try new techniques and make them their own to bolster creativity.
When not in the kitchen, Chef Conner enjoys exploring new restaurants, live music performances, following professional sports (especially the Dallas Cowboys), and indulging in his favorite food: spicy lemon pepper chicken wings with blue cheese dressing.
Tommy Maitland is almost as famous as the historic Cedar Tavern. Born and raised in NYC, this avid Yankees fan is an extension of the Tavern’s rich history as it was also his local bar and hangout for many years. Tommy spent a great deal of the early 90’s as an art dealer in SOHO before transitioning to hospitality where he managed old-school midtown steakhouses and Irish pubs throughout NYC. Tommy arrived in Austin in 2016 to open Eberly and breathe new life into the ancient bar as part storyteller, part house historian and part guest concierge. When he’s not giving “Tommy Tours” of our unique spaces, he’s likely at a live music venue catching an epic show.
Owners / Co-Founders | John Scott & Eddy Patterson
Admin & Event Assistant | JoAnna Leal
Event Director | Sarah Thevenot
Event Coordinator | Leandra Perez
Event Coordinator | Carla Keese
General Manager | Catherine Ramirez
Assistant General Manager | Chris Herbel
Bar Manager | Aaron Smith
Manager | Connor Bovich
Manager | Danny Lewis
Maître d' | Tom Maitland
Executive Chef | Sarah Seghi
Chef de Cuisine | Conner Gilbreath
Pastry Chef | Raven Breitfeller
Sous Chef | Riley Hardin
Sous Chef | Jaime Jamies