Diners at Spoon and Stable will soon be without a familiar face in the dining room. General manager Bill Summerville is leaving the four-star North Loop restaurant, which debuted in November.
Summerville (pictured, above, in a Star Tribune file photo from his longtime tenure at La Belle Vie) is moving on to New France Wine Co., the St. Paul-based distributor. His last day at the restaurant is April 25.
"The whole intention of having Bill as the general manager here was a very successful one, and he did a great job for us," said chef/owner Gavin Kaysen. "He's now taking on this new role in his career, and we're all so happy about that. Honestly, what's really great about this direction is that Bill is so experienced in wine, and so passionate about wine, that he can now share that talent with other restaurants throughout the city."
Stepping into Summerville's roles as service manager and wine manager is Ian Szymczak, who joined the restaurant in December after nearly a decade working with Nancy St. Pierre and Isaac Becker at 112 Eatery.
"We're so excited to have Ian grow into this position," said Kaysen. "It's so exciting to be able to promote from within."
In other news, Kaysen is gearing up for next month's James Beard awards, which are taking place in Chicago on May 4. Spoon and Stable is up for two national honors – best new restaurant and outstanding design – an unprecedented feat for a Minnesota restaurant.
To celebrate, Kaysen is taking a posse of 14 Spoon and Stable staffers to the gala ceremony (and, as a consequence, closing the restaurant that evening; it is normally open for dinner on Monday).
"Regardless of what happens at the awards, it's such a historic moment for Minneapolis and for this team, to be recognized in the national spotlight, twice," he said. "It has given everyone here a boost of confidence. When I lived in New York, I always went to the Beard awards. It's going to be fun to bring my staff. They've never been, and I think they're going to be starstruck."
