Equinox Co-Owners Todd and Ellen Gray Bounding into their ninth successful year as proprietors of the newly renovated Equinox, restaurateurs Todd and Ellen Gray have revamped not just the physical space but the idea of local organic. The new look (and menu!) is sophisticated but cozy, providing diners with good-for-you comfort food with a twist. The mission remains the same: bringing the bounty to the table one great meal at a time. The Grays are involved on every level of the food process, from working closely with local farms and supporting an ever-changing seasonal menu, nurturing the entire staff of the Equinox family, and delivering a fresh and innovative product to the table. The front of the house buzzes with a unique blend of laidback comfort and we-aim-to-please energy, under the influence of Ellen Gray, general manager and hostess extraordinaire. Simultaneously, the kitchen flourishes in creativity under the watchful eye of Todd Gray. This power duo is especially proud of their son Harrison, who was born shortly after the restaurant opened and has been growing with it and inspiring the family ever since. Thanks to Harrison’s own gastronomic inclinations, Todd has offered cooking classes for kids, and continues to focus on culinary education for students of all ages. As a case study of a small business using set strategies to achieve both a vision and profitability, Equinox has been featured on best of lists and the pages of a variety of magazines, newspapers and guides. Equinox has established a reputation for stability and maturity while still nurturing the spirit of innovation that is the hallmark of successful restaurants over time. Todd Gray Executive Chef/Co-Owner Since opening Equinox in 1999 to universal acclaim, Todd Gray has emerged as one of the surest culinary talents in the nation's capital, as well as a tireless champion of sustainable farming and fishing practices, and a passionate promoter of local, mid-Atlantic foods. Gray practices what he preaches every day, and Equinox is widely acclaimed as an oasis of sophisticated yet unpretentious seasonal cuisine. With an artist's vision of the beauty in both his raw ingredients and his finished plates, classical training in culinary techniques gained in DC's top French and Italian kitchens, and a down-home Virginia boy's appreciation for food that just plain tastes good, Todd Gray is the culinary mastermind of Equinox, infusing the atmosphere with his passion for the bounty of the Mid-Atlantic. Todd continues to work with local farmers developing food of all varieties, form lettuce to beef, taking personal stock in the animals and produce being raised. Gray's cooking has earned him five nominations for the prestigious Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic award from the James Beard Foundation. He also is a four-time nominee for Chef of the Year from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. Equinox has consistently been rated one of the city's top restaurants by many local publications, and has appeared on numerous "best of" lists in national epicurean magazines. Equinox has achieved Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence six years in a row, and is consistantly recognized with the Award of Excellence from the Distinguished Restaurants of North America (DiRoNa). Todd has also just received a nomination for Chef of the year through the RAMW for 2008.

Ellen Kassoff-Gray General Manager/Co-Owner As formidable a management and marketing force as her husband Todd is a culinary force, Ellen Gray has helped ensure Equinox's place among Washington, DC's top-tier restaurants. She brings all elements of her background, including gourmet food sales, culinary instruction, economics and program management, into play in managing the restaurant's operations, as well as its involvement in the restaurant industry and the community it serves. While earning a degree in economics from the University of Maryland in 1986, Gray studied abroad at the University of London, traveled throughout the Middle East and Europe, and developed a passion for travel and world cuisine. She returned to the U.S. and initially put her economics degree to work in the financial publishing world of Wall Street, and after several years moved back to home to Washington, DC. Looking to combine her business background with her interest in food, she began working for Sysco, the largest food purveyor in the country. One of the most productive sales call she would ever make was on a young cook named Todd Gray. In 1998, Gray created the Washington, DC area's first in-house cooking program for Fresh Fields Whole Foods Markets. She continues to encourage cooking classes taught within Equinox’s own space and is working on the creation of a cooking studio. Along with classes, Ellen shares her passion with a variety of worthy causes across the city as Equinox’s biggest cheerleader. She serves on several community boards such as the Washington Humane Society, the Washington JCC, and the Northwest Little League. As the creator of A Sugar and Champagne affair which brings together pastry chef and wine purveyors in the city’s biggest culinary event benefitting the Washington Humane Society, Ellen brings her culinary inclination and her passion together. She assisted in organizing the Certified Humane Program and has helped to bring the program to national attention. She is currently serving as a mentor for Women Chefs and Restaurateurs (WCR) and is a member of Les Dames Escoffier.

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