fish and chips at The Dutch in Saugerties NY

Meet the Chef: Jim Anderson of The Dutch, a Modern Gastropub With a Storied Past

By inside + out | June 11, 2024

Good food, good drinks, and good vibes are the unique ingredients that keep fans of The Dutch coming back year after year–not to mention a storied past. Located in Saugerties, New York, The Dutch opened on December 6th 1933, the day Prohibition was repealed. We’d love to hear more about its day as a speakeasy. Sit at table 7 and you’ll see a buzzer on the wall. Back in the day, you’d push the buzzer if you wanted to go down and place your bets…but that’s another story. Pulling on its strong history as the local watering hole, this is your go-to place for a classic gastropub experience. The menu boasts elevated comfort food classics and locally sourced fare. You’ll find 16 drafts on tap, with a focus on New York State and Hudson Valley brewers, alongside various wines and specially crafted cocktails.

The Dutch, your favorite neighborhood pub serving up craft brews & comfort food classics.

We are Upstate NY with Jim Anderson, chef de cuisine at The Dutch, to talk about his journey as a chef, what music plays in his kitchen, and his love of the Hudson Valley. Last but not least, learn more about Jim’s fabulous dishes made with an in-house smoker. Whether indulging in a rack of ribs, savoring a juicy brisket, or devouring a pile of chicken wings, you’ll be glad you made the trip to this local gem!

INSIDE+OUT: Where are you originally from and how did you wind up in the Hudson Valley?

Jim Anderson: I was born and raised in the Hudson Valley. I lived in New Hampshire for ten years and worked in hotels and restaurants. The largest one was The Whittier House in West Ossipee, New Hampshire, with 400 seats, which was always very busy.

Where did you study cooking? Can you tell us about your journey?

I studied cooking at SUNY, Cobleskill. I started in the industry from the bottom and worked my way up. I held almost all restaurant positions, including dishwasher, busser, server, prep, sandwich board / Garde Manger (Pantry Chef), line cook, Sous Chef, chef de cuisine, and Executive Chef.

How long have you been with The Dutch? Tell us more about your role as Lead Production Cook.

I’ve been with The Dutch for six years and, as chef de cuisine, have created approximately 90% of the menu items, dressings, sauces, soups, desserts and charcuterie-smoked items.

Tell us about a day in the restaurant, your signature dishes, and whether you have a main focus as the Lead Prep Cook at the Dutch.

My main focus is to provide a revolving, freshly prepared inventory of all menu items for Line Cooks to have for service. Items like sausages are batch prepared, as needed, in 20-pound batches. All are made via my own formulas and equipment: a #12 Grinder and a 20* capacity electric stuffer.

The sausages take 2-3 days to prepare due to other operational tasks I may be working on. They are weighed out, ground, mixed and stuffed into casings, then hand-tied to a four or 6-oz portion size (depending on the casing size). Then they are hung in my cooler on hooks overnight to cure and develop a pellicle (a thin film that covers the meat so that when they are smoked and poached, the smoke flavor and color remain on the sausages). While the sausages are my signature, I also produce a pastrami and brisket. Both have unique rubs that I’ve created. The pastrami starts in a corned beef cure purchased from “The Sausage Maker.” I brine them according to weight and thickness. This could be from 5-7 days. They are then rubbed with my spice mixture and smoked at 275 degrees F for six hours or until they hit 150 degrees F. They are then wrapped in butcher paper and finished in the smoker or oven until they hit 180-190 degrees Fahrenheit. Total time is about 9-10 hours. The cooks check on them and place them in the cooler when they hit the above temperature.

The brisket is not brined but rubbed with a hot, spicy mustard mixed with honey. This process is used to both favor and help the brisket rub stick to it while it smokes at 275 degrees for six hours. Then, it is butcher paper wrapped and set in the smoker overnight, 10-12 hours at 200 degrees Fahrenheit. The brisket temperature will reach 190-195. I then wrap it for storage for the line cooks to slice and portion.

Chicken wings are a big seller. Although the rub for them is not my creation, I had to formulate it to have a consistent product. This had not been done before at The Dutch. The wings are rubbed, laid out flat on sheet trays, then smoked at 275 degrees for two hours, giving the wings a smoke flavor and they are fully cooked to 160 degrees, rapidly cooked and boxed for service. Throughout the week, I will generally smoke 4-6 forty-pound cases. The smoker can only hold two cases worth at one time.

All of the desserts are made in-house. The main ones are “The Dutch” apple pie, which has many cheesecake varieties, homemade ice cream and sometimes pound cakes or seasonal desserts. Most sell quickly.

What’s the first dish you learned to make really well?

Too many to pick one. Throughout my career, I’ve touched upon many Cuisines. Prior to school, I began studying German cuisine and worked at Schneller’s in Uptown Kingston. After school, I worked in the IBM cafeteria. Then, with Dan Smith at “Thymes Restaurant in Classical French American. Dan Smith, CEC, was my mentor. Through his tough guidance, I was able to grow in my career. Because I had that opportunity, I’m considered 4th generation Escoffee student. Chef Smith had worked with and for Eugene Berard, the last chef to work with Escoffee. I’d say Beef Wellington to pick one dish from scratch, including the puff pastry and demi glace.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your career in food?

Diversity. I am able to create almost everything I produce from scratch. I use my knowledge of many different cuisines and techniques to make dishes.

In your opinion, what makes The Dutch a unique restaurant in the town of Saugerties?

Diversity of menu, all items produced from scratch. A great staff that genuinely cares about The Dutch and wants to see growth and potential to be even better.