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Update on Screen Door: Chef David McMillan

Posted on October 16th, 2009 10:18am by Nancy Nichols
Filed under Chefs, Restaurant News

: Chef David McMillan has nothing to whine about. He’s happy to be the new chef at Screen Door.

It’s been a busy few days for chef David McMillan. He and Mico Rodiguez are in full gear at Screen Door. I finally caught up with him last night.

NN: How is it going?
DM: Things are good. We moved in this week. It’s going to be interesting. This place has never done what its supposed to do.

NN: What are you initial challenges?
DM: The higher end [of the restaurant business] is tough and we are going to reposition it. The lobster was I think $80, now the lobster is $45. It’s a cute space but it is not functional from a service perspective. It’s a space that needs to be taken in another direction to survive.

NN: Well, Mico certainly knows a lot about finishing out a space.
DM: Mico and I are having a good time. We are both caustic and with a sense of humor. We’ll won’t shut down but will be doing construction on the inside. We’ll probably be opening up the green waving partitions and the sitting area with the tree stumps. We want to start including the younger generation while still keeping the concept Southern. We’re not going small plates, but we want to be more usable in the bar area and bring down the price point. Need to straddle old customers and a build new [customer base].

NN: What about the current staff?
DM: Well, Rick Stein is a great guy and he will be leaving but we would love to work with him again. Fitz [chef Fitzgerald Dodd] is staying through next weekend. Tami the sous chef is going to open Tillman’s in FT worth. Erica, the pastry chef is staying. Fitz has been through a lot. He has been through the mental, only confusing time, of [original owner] Scott Jones. He [Jones], still has sweat equity but he has been gone for a long time.

NN: Well, the timing is certainly good with the opening of the Arts District.
DM: Our timing and the arts center opening couldn’t be better. And our wine list is doing great. Jeff [sommelier] is doing good. We are starting to see the $150 mark moving. It’s fun place to work.

14 Comments to “Update on Screen Door: Chef David McMillan”

Emile Zatarain @ October 16th, 2009 at 10:35 am

Come on, Nancy! Couldn’t you edit that to spice it up a little?
Sarah Eveans @ October 16th, 2009 at 10:55 am

Rick Stein leaving sounds like a bad idea to me.
MRG @ October 16th, 2009 at 10:59 am

ditto Sarah
Loftygirl @ October 16th, 2009 at 11:01 am

Fitz and Tami gone… Really sounds like someone screwed up there.
Jan Stengle @ October 16th, 2009 at 11:12 am

The lobster goes from $80 to $45 but they “are starting to see the $150 mark moving” on the wine list.

Oh really?
STR @ October 16th, 2009 at 11:13 am

Yeah, the one who messed up is Scott Jones. He started it off with a bang and it went downhill after that. New strong leadership and smarts will turn this around in no time. It’s a great restaurant and great concept.
Kathie G. @ October 16th, 2009 at 4:47 pm

I didn’t realize there was anything wrong with Screen Door. I eat lunch there a couple of times a month. Yes it’s a little pricey but I love the room. Good for David. We used to love 62 Main.
Amy S @ October 16th, 2009 at 6:22 pm

Ditto Kathie G., I’ve missed David’s cooking, hated he moved out to the ‘burbs.
Amy S @ October 16th, 2009 at 6:24 pm

BTW, David has his name on a line of sauces/dressings sold at HEB/Central Market under the “Star Chef” label by Dallas’ Canyon Specialty Foods. Ok, so does hubby Sevy – but they are really good.
John E @ October 16th, 2009 at 8:13 pm

David is an amazing chef and a great guy. Throw in a bit of mad genius Mico and this should be fun to watch.
mike @ October 17th, 2009 at 8:18 pm

in a previous post you expressed a “too many chefs” concern. why did you not ask him to comment on that observation?
DALLASChef @ October 18th, 2009 at 5:39 pm

Had lunch at Screen Door today. It was a disaster. THe food was OK, several items were amazing and several missed the mark, but the dining room was a full blown cluster f&^%. Mico was there running around and seemed lost. I know he was a group of followers, but I have a gut feeling he will ruin this place.
Cellarmaster @ October 20th, 2009 at 3:10 am

Congrats to both David and Mico on their next journey! I know that with their combined experience, they will bring the Screen Door to glory! I can’t wait to taste experience the bounty!
Foodbevlaw @ October 20th, 2009 at 11:11 pm

It always renews my faith in humankind to hear people who weren’t around at the beginning slander the guy who launched the concept.