With Mike Smith, the executive chef at Scales, leaving the waterfront restaurant to work in the kitchen at chef Chris Gould’s new venture on Ocean Avenue, who will steer the ship at Scales?

Frederic Eliot, who has been working as a sous chef at Scales, and Travis Olson, the pastry chef, will take on Smith’s duties together, according to Eliot.

Eliot is still hoping to head his own French restaurant someday and has been working with Jason Loring and his business partners in Fifth Food Group on that project. But that’s likely to be months away.

Smith and his wife have been hired by Chris and Paige Gould, the owners of Central Provisions on Fore Street, to work at their still-developing Italian restaurant located in the former Borealis Bakery & Bistro at 182 Ocean Ave. in the Back Cove neighborhood. The Goulds plan a menu of wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, housemade pastas, crudo and salads. Their still-unnamed restaurant is expected to open in December or January.