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Monday, October 1, 2012

Two-Block Radius / Chow / Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz The Chef at Smith Departs

Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Mon, Oct 1, 2012 at 3:12 PM

Kelly O
Smith: click to enlarge.

Smith, the pub/taxidermy haven from Linda Derschang on Capitol Hill's 15th Avenue, had an unfavorable revolving-door chef situation for quite a while after it opened in 2007.

Then, finally, Eliot Guthrie started cooking there, and at last, it was good. Then he left (anyone know where he is now?).

Then Chris Howell took over, and he'd been a lead line cook with the Tom Douglas empire for a number of years, and it was good again. Now Howell is returning to T-Doug—he's going to Brave Horse Tavern, lucky for Amazon employees.

Yesterday was Howell's last day at Smith, and no one there knew who'd be taking over next. Sigh. Derschang has not yet returned an email asking what's up.

(Meanwhile, newly open today on 15th: The Wandering Goose, from Volunteer Park Cafe’s Heather Earnhardt.)

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Comments (8) RSS

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Nooooo! Their burger had been extra delicious lately...

Posted by bearseatbeats on October 1, 2012 at 3:19 PM

I've always found Smith really uneven (I've been going there since moving to the neighborhood at the beginning of '10). I've had benedicts that have ranged from sublime to nearly inedible, brisket that has ranged from succulent to swimming in unrendered fat.

The poutine has been good every time I've had it, but I only let myself eat that about 2-3 times a year.

It's a fine enough place, but I'd probably never go there if it weren't 2 blocks from where I live.

Really, I prefer to have brunch at Linda's: it's cheaper, and MUCH more consistent.

Posted by bleedingheartlibertarian on October 1, 2012 at 3:28 PM

I still mourn the amazing beef stew that I ate there during the December snow storm of 2009. It had a glob of mashed potatoes in the middle. Nom.

Posted by ERIN! on October 1, 2012 at 3:36 PM

Smith hardly ever goes a week w/o posting to CL looking for cooks. This development is not surprising in the least.

Posted by tournant on October 1, 2012 at 4:25 PM

I'm shocked that Smith has been open for as long as it has been. It used to seem to have a curse with everything that went into that spot would shut down a few months later.

Maybe the chef turn-over is a left over of "the curse"

Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on October 1, 2012 at 6:00 PM

Maybe he went somewhere that offers its employees health insurance. Derschang still doesn't, right?

Tom Douglas offers health insurance. (Or at least, I know that he used to, and I'm betting he still does.) I've been going to Etta's for over a decade, and I still see the same bunch of people working there. Palace Kitchen is the same: nothing like watching your young, attractive bartender get 10 years older.

Maybe Derschang should take a page from his book. I can't imagine a revolving-door chef is good for business.

Posted by Free Lunch on October 1, 2012 at 6:11 PM

@6, health insurance for everyone? Even the dishwashers and line cooks? That's pretty fucking cool if it's true. Those people back there who do the hard, hard work while I sit and enjoy my fat ass on a chair and push tidbits into my face deserve a great deal of respect. Even in a crappy restaurant.

Posted by Fnarf

on October 1, 2012 at 11:40 PM

@6 .. maybe but maybe not .. meaning many more restaurants don’t offer health insurance than do .. you would be surprised at the crappy way most employees are treated, despite the fact that good staff is very hard to come by/retain what w/ the endless list of new places opening every month.

I’d guess that being “chef” at Smith is a stepping stone to another kitchen rather than a stepping stone to a place with benefits

Posted by olive oyl on October 2, 2012 at 2:58 PM