A TASTE

OF ICONIC
MADISON:
CHEF TORY MILLER
by Alexa Miller . Photos by Ally dweck & Devin kelly
C hef Tory Miller creates award-winning food
in his Madison restaurants but still loves
making fried chicken and homemade pasta for
his family.
Miller’s eagerness to cook began when he
worked at his grandparents’ diner in Racine,
Wisconsin. Pursuing his passion, Miller took the
leap and moved to one of the largest food hubs
in America, New York City.
Miller laughed at some of his first days in the
city and emphasized that it wasn’t easy.
“I didn’t know anyone there at the time. I didn’t
have a place to live. I flew out there with some
bags and it was daunting in the beginning,”
Miller said.
After attending the French Culinary Institute
in New York, he decided it was time to return
to the Dairy State. Now, as a distinguished chef,
Miller owns L’Etoile, Graze, Sujeo, and Estrellón
Restaurants, each of which offers guests a
special perspective on the Madison food scene.
“Four different parts of my brain are getting
activated with my restaurants, but everyone
knows my favorite is Sujeo. I love Asian food
and casual vibes,” Miller said.
Miller grins as he describes his style as a chef as
cooking what he wants to eat. While Miller’s
success could bring him to other parts in the
country, there is no place like home.
“The farmers and the taste of place, the terroir,
are very prevalent in Madison. It’s
really hard to connect with that
and leave because as a chef it’s really
where you want to be,” Miller said.
The iconic chef is relaxed as he talks
about his experiences. However, he
is serious about promoting programs
like Cooking Healthy Options
in Wisconsin Schools (CHOW).
“I felt the need to connect with
Madison and help the way we feed
our kids in schools,” Miller said.
While Madison is not typically
thought of as leader in trendy eats
and fine dining, Miller’s unique
style and commitment to customer
experience prove otherwise. The
chef with colorfully tattooed
arms caught the attention of
the Food Network’s, “Iron Chef.”
“When they first asked, I wasn’t
ready to do it or wasn’t sure if it was
something I really wanted to do.
But, probably about ten years later,
I decided I was down,” Miller said.
His team competed against Bobby
Flay in “Battle of the Bison.” As the
first Madison citizen to compete on
the show, Miller understood he was
not only representing his restaurants
in the competition but also as
his Wisconsin and Korean roots.
“Our Bison menu was full on
Asian food, and for me, I am
Korean adoptee who didn’t know
my parents. To be able to make
Asian food the way I like to make
it and have it be the winning
menu and really well-received
from the judges was nerve-
wracking but so rad,” Miller said.
So, what’s next for Chef Miller?
“I keep competing in my own four
walls and try to get better and
challenge myself to do the next big
thing. So, who knows what’s next.”
“We are the definition of local,” says the opening
line of Food Fight’s webpage—a hub of all things
delicious in Madison. Food Fight, a restaurant group
based in Madison, markets themselves as the essence
of our local food scene. Food Fight remains a staple
of Madison’s restaurant industry since its establish-
ment in 1994, founded by Monty’s Blue Plate Diner
owner, Monty Schiro, and investor Peder Moren. The
company aims to enrich the Madison community
with diverse tastes and high-quality service, and has
been succeeding for decades.
Since Food Fight’s humble beginnings 24 years ago,
the company has undergone a metamorphosis. Today,
the Food Fight name is synonymous to Madison’s
burgeoning food scene. With restaurants specializing
in American diner classics to nouveau Tex-Mex and
trendy Hawaiian poké bowls, Food Fight has achieved
what no other Madison food group has accomplished:
a restaurant for everyone. From Johnny Delmonico’s
premier steaks and top-shelf whiskey for dinner with
the parents, to Cento’s warm interior and classic
Italian fare on date night, to DLUX’s yuppie boozy
brunch, Food Fight has a location for every occasion.
No two restaurants are alike. Despite multiple tradi-
tional Wisconsin outlets, Italian bistros, and eateries
paying homage to Mexican cuisine, each restaurant
maintains its own charm. This can be seen in not
only the dishes, but also in the ambiance. The secret
to Food Fight’s success may lie in their continual
investment in variety. Food Fight has successfully
allowed its brand to adapt from one restaurant to the
next, enabling each chef not only establish a distinc-
tive range of flavors, but also create a one-of-a-kind
atmosphere for guests.
ever-friendly, respectful employees. The Food Fight
website highlights their staff as their “most valuable
asset,” as the company strives to manage restaurants
in which employees desire to learn and grow.
“It’s nice to know that if I do my job well, this is a
place where I can stay,” said Maya Steinberger, a Cen-
to hostess.
Founder Monty Schiro’s own professional beginnings,
as a dishwasher at 13, waiter at 16, manager at 21,
and finally, restaurant owner at just 24, are likely the
inspiration behind Food Fight’s cultivation of each
and every employee.
The self-proclaimed definition of Madison locality,
Food Fight champions giving back to the community
as it enhances our palettes. Food Fight has served the
Madison area by building up Downtown’s culinary
scene, providing guidance to restaurant industry
hopefuls, establishing traditions like Food Fight Food-
ie Week, as well as making charitable contributions.
From its unpretentious conception that established
Monty’s Blue Plate Diner, to the restaurant giant it
has become, Food Fight continues to put Madison,
and its eclectic, ever-changing food scene, first.

Monty’s Blue Plate Diner manager, Noelle Luce,

asserts that each restaurant preserves its own manage-
ment with limited corporate interference, but still
reaps the benefits of Food Fight’s expertise.

“We really are given a lot of empowerment to run

our own ships, put forth our own ideas, and we’re re-
ally included in everything,” Luce says. She explains
that Food Fight’s purpose is to ask, “What is your
vision?” and “How can we help you polish that?” as
they guide restaurants to their full potential.

Food Fight’s achievements go well beyond the kitch-

en, as each restaurant is enhanced by a group of
Food Fight
By Sam Karny

A look into Madison’s premiere restaurant group, how they function and why they’re still thriving over 20 years later.