Trummer's On Main

Clayton Miller comes to Trummer’s on Main after an extensive trek throughout the country seeking continuous culinary training. The Pittsburgh native is taking this time to move a bit closer to home after spending the last 15 years living in many of the country’s major cities. Recently awarded Food & Wine magazine’s ‘Best News Chefs of 2010’ accolade, Miller freely embarks on his own path and crafts his trademark Creative American cuisine focusing on simple, globally influenced fare at Northern Virginia’s newest fine dining locale.

“It’s exciting to be in Virginia and be so close to so many things. You are 20 minutes away in one direction from the nation’s capital. Which is possibly the most exciting food city right now because of all the growth in new restaurants. And in every other direction, you have great farms of all kinds. Lamb, poultry, produce, dairies and cheese makers,” says Miller. “I’m really looking forward to building a team and a kitchen that will develop cuisine without restrictions; one that speaks of both my past experience and the new direction I am heading.”

Chef Miller, a graduate of Widener University’s degree in hotel and restaurant management in Philadelphia, also earned a degree from Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts in Pittsburgh. Upon graduation in 1995, the then 23-year old Miller accepted his first position with The Ritz-Carlton Company in downtown Atlanta, a Mobile four-star and AAA five Diamond property. It was here that he truly became fascinated with the inner workings of the kitchen and the restaurant industry as a whole. Following one year in the position of Chef de Commis, Executive Chef Guenther Seeger at The Dining Room in The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead, near Atlanta, asked Miller to join his team as Entrementier. During this time, The Dining Room was awarded its first Mobil Five-Star rating.

Upon Seeger’s later departure, Miller continued at The Dining Room working for Executive Chef Joël Antunes’ first, and arguably most successful American venture, in the positions of Chef de Partie, Garde Manger and Poissonier. After two years, Antunes sent Miller to New York City to work for renowned Chef and Restaurateur Daniel Boulud at Daniel, and Chef Floyd Cardoz at Tabla. Following the year- long stage, Miller returned to The Dining Room in Atlanta under his mentor Antunes. Collectively, Miller spent three years under the tutelage and leadership of Antunes gaining an understanding in both French Technique and new flavor profile.

His career then took him to the West coast, bringing him to famed The French Laundry in Yountville, California. After a referral from Four Story Hills Farm, a long desired dream of Miller’s was fulfilled when he joined Chef Thomas Keller’s team, accepting the positions of both Chef de Partie of Garde Manger and Meat. While at The French Laundry, Miller crossed paths with notable Washington Chef Eric Ziebold, now of CityZen.

After a year and a half with Keller, Miller was contacted by Chef and Restaurateur Norman Van Aken and was recruited to open Van Aken’s first expansion of his popular Norman’s at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes in 2003. Since then, Miller has been in charge of the daily operations as Executive Chef, and all culinary aspects including serving as Pastry Chef. Norman’s has received the Mobile Four-Star award and the AAA Four Diamond award. Over the course of five years, Miller’s team assisted the restaurant average $3,500,000 per year in sales.

It has been a long journey for Chef Clayton Miller. But it has been a fruitful and successful adventure that has led him to his own kitchen, co-designed by him, and built around his cultivated palate here at Trummer’s on Main. Near local farms, dairies and producers, Miller is feeling right at home on historic Main Street.