{Mike Miller}
Dressel’s Public House has a new executive chef. Derek Roe, previously chef de cuisine at the Central West End pub, is now helming the kitchen. Roe replaces chef Mike Miller, who served as the restaurant’s exec chef for the last three years. Miller is also co-owner of prepared foods and catering company, Kitchen Kulture. “To keep Dressel’s healthy and profitable, yet let it evolve – that’s what we’ve been trying to do – and having talent in the kitchen,” said owner Ben Dressel. “My main mission is to be as local, farm-to-table and consciously sourced as possible.” He said he is confident in Roe’s ability to continue in that vein. “Derek is talented. We see eye-to-eye on where the pub should situate itself. He’ll do a great job.”
Roe’s prior experience includes working as sous chef at Harvest and as a line cook at the now defunct Monarch. Roe came aboard at Dressel’s as sous chef at the same time Miller joined the company.
Dressel said he wished his former executive chef the best. “He has his own business at Kitchen Kulture,” he said. “We think highly of him. He’s an awesome chef.”
Miller was spotlighted in the April 2014 issue of Sauce for his role in elevating Dressel’s gastro pub fare while respecting its 30-year history and adhering to his cooking philosophy. Miller declined to comment about his departure or his future plans.
-photo by Elizabeth Jochum
This article appears in April 2014.