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Exclusive: Dale Miller adds Sperry’s kitchen to portfolio

By Steve Barnes, senior writer on June 22, 2010 at 1:34 PM The chef Dale Miller has been named executive chef of Sperry’s, the historic Saratoga Springs restaurant being taken over by the owners of Circus Café, also in the Spa City. Miller remains a partner and executive chef of his eponymous Albany restaurant, Dale Miller.

Miller tells me he will divide his time between the two eateries, though much of the summer will be spent on the relaunch and running of Sperry’s during Saratoga’s busiest season. In his absence, the kitchen at Dale Miller will be under the supervision of Miller’s top lieutenants, chef de cuisine Paul Ozimek and executive sous chef Eric Tisaj. According to those involved, Miller’s participation at Sperry’s, officially as consulting executive chef, is governed by a contract between the new Sperry’s owners and Creative Culinary Concepts, the corporate name of Miller’s Albany restaurant; the contract is still being finalized. He will collect salaries from both restaurants.

Sperry’s is being bought by Christel and Colin MacLean, owners of Circus Café, and investment partners who include Saratoga Mayor Scott Johnson. They expect to finalize the sale of Sperry’s later this week, Christel MacLean tells me, after which the restaurant will close for a brief refurbishment.

The plan is for Sperry’s to reopen with an updated look and menu during the second week of July, MacLean says.

Like Miller, she and her husband will be doing double duty, managing Circus Café as well as Sperry’s. “I’m not one who goes crazy over chefs, but I do that with Dale. I’ve always been so impressed with his food,” says MacLean. The idea to approach him about Sperry’s, she says, was a middle-of-the-night flash of inspiration that seemed improbable if not outlandish but ultimately worked out.

“I’ve always loved Sperry’s, and I loved the idea of taking something old, honoring its tradition and putting a new stamp on it,” says Miller. He says the Sperry’s project is analogous to his task when he took over the venerable Jack’s Oyster House in Albany in 1997 and freshened its menu without jettisoning its history; Jack’s opened in 1913, Sperry’s about two decades later. Miller previously supervised Albany and Saratoga kitchens simultaneously when, as executive chef at Jack’s, he also oversaw food service for one summer at The Lodge, a restaurant open only during track season.

Miller’s menu for Sperry’s, which he and MacLean describe as “new American tavern” fare, will include grilled seafood and steaks as well as Sperry’s favorites including bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with wasabi, balsamic-glazed Dover sole and a Cuban sandwich. The menu will in no way resemble the Albany restaurant’s, Miller says. “I think it’s an excellent opportunity for Dale to expand his personal horizons and a wonderful opportunity for our restaurant to expand its reputation,” says James D. Linnan, an Albany attorney who, with his wife, Maura Gannon, is the principal owner of the restaurant Dale Miller; Gannon is general manager.

Linnan and Gannon tell me they’re confident the quality of food and service will remain as high at the Albany restaurant with Miller in Saratoga as when he’s in-house, nothing that management, waitstaff and kitchen crew at Dale Miller are largely the same as when the restaurant opened 14 months ago.

Linnan says he believes the Sperry’s arrangement will benefit the Albany restaurant by enhancing Miller’s reputation and influence. While a chef attaching his name, creating the menu and officially being in charge of multiple restaurants is rare in the Capital Region, it is common among the top figures in the business: Mario Batali is affiliated with 15 restaurants, in New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles; Bobby Flay with 10 in multiple cities; and Jean-Georges Vongerichten with at least 14, from Manhattan to Martinique to Shanghai.

“I see it as a furthering of the Dale Miller brand,” Linnan says. “I (envision) us having Dale consult on an executive-chef level for other existing or start-up restaurants, under the right circumstances.”

All sides tell me the arrangement is amicable, so much so that Linnan’s law practice is working to shepherd Sperry’s liquor license through the application and approval process.

“It’s an exciting opportunity — win-win for everybody,” says Gannon.

Steve Barnes

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