Meet The Chef

Rafferty Handles All Duties At Inn At Saratoga

BY PAUL POST

Mike Rafferty’s culinary heroes include the likes of Julia Childs, Gordon Ramsay and Wolfgang Puck.

These are some of the celebrity chefs who inspired his career as a young kid, growing up in the Saratoga Springs restaurant scene. But a legendary BOCES culinary instructor who trained countless local students, stands out above all others.

“My favorite was Chef George Hoffis,” Rafferty said. “He was a great guy. He taught me everything. I started working when I was 14 so by the time he got hold of me I knew a little something. He knew I was interested so he took me under his wing and guided me through this crazy business.”

The lessons Rafferty, now 55, learned as a Saratoga Spring High School student are still paying dividends in his current position as head chef at the Inn at Saratoga, the Spa City’s oldest continuously operating lodging house, built in 1843, which takes guests back to a charming bygone era.

“I’m hands-on,” he said. “I’m working the line on a constant basis, plus doing all the administering, managing staff, creating menus, ordering, inventory and I do all the banquets. I’m not a paper chef as they like to say.”

The key to running a successful kitchen is simple: “Getting everything organized and having a very clean work environment,” Rafferty said.

He stays up with the latest trends by watching cooking shows on television and poring through magazines such as Bon Appetit.

“And I’ve been doing this so long that sometimes I bring back recipes from 20 years ago,” Rafferty said. “I am totally 100 percent responsible for the menu. We change it three times per year—fall and winter, spring and summer and a special one for track season, the busiest time of year. Our beef brisket is very popular. The recipe is from the owner’s (Robert Israel) great-grandmother. We cook it Jewish style. That’s very popular. Our lamb dish is taking off now, too. It’s served with roasted sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and Kalamata olives. And our stuffed sole, stuffed with crab meat served over risotto is also a top seller.”

One of the most important lessons Hoffis taught Rafferty is, “Don’t put out a dish if you wouldn’t eat it yourself. And he always told me that my customer is my waitress. I have to make sure she’s happy with the way something looks before it goes out to the customer.”

Rafferty got his start at a former eatery called Yesterday’s, where Saratoga Gelato is now located on Broadway. It was owned by Kathy Smith, current owner of Saratoga Arms Hotel, and her late husband, Noel.

“My mother was a waitress there and my father was building apartments above the complex,” Rafferty said. “ I was getting tired and bored at day camp, so I asked my mother if I could get a job. She said, ‘I’m not going to get the job for you. You can come in and talk to Noel.’ I went in and the next day and was washing dishes at 14 years old.”

From there he went to the former Dining Car Restaurant where Starbuck’s is now, at 351 Broadway, which the Smiths also owned.

“They let me do my own thing,” Rafferty said. “I made dessert for the Smothers Brothers one day, a home made chocolate mousse. They called me out to their table, which was kind of cool at 15 years old.”

While still in high school, he qualified for a national cooking competition by winning fi rst place in regional and statewide events. He credits teacher Maureen Clancy for also being an important mentor during those critical years as a young, aspiring chef.

Th rough the years Rafferty has also worked at the Old Firehouse Restaurant and spent three years each at the Holiday Inn, where he was sous chef, and the Gideon Putnam Hotel before fi nding a permanent home at the Inn at Saratoga where he’s worked continuously for the past 21 years.

In a town known for hosting celebrity guests, Rafferty’s patrons have run the gamut from the Goo Goo Dolls to singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie, of “Alice’s Restaurant” fame.

“I like the family atmosphere in Saratoga,” he said. “I’ve lived here all my life. I wouldn’t live anywhere else.”

The biggest change he’s seen during nearly 40 years of culinary work has nothing to do with modern technology. “The work ethic in youth today is lacking compared to 20 years ago,” Rafferty said. “The work ethic in America is slipping a little bit. Everybody wants big bucks, but they only have one year of experience. It’s not only very hard to fi nd good help, it’s very hard to fi nd any help. The turnover is amazing. That’s why I like working here. It’s like a family. Our breakfast chef, Karen Vunk, has been here 13 years. Our bartender, Patrick Lynett, has been here 10 years and our general manager Lauren Hayward has been here seven or eight years.”

Valuable staff members include Rob Wilson, second in command cooking breakfast along with Alan Abrams and Keith Lewis who started the lessons business, he wanted to join.”

After deciding they would like to have their own facility, the partners created a business plan, obtained fi nancing, and began searching for a location. They ultimately chose the former home of Artisanal Brew Works, a space that became available after the brewery moved a stone’s throw away to 617 Maple Ave.

“We looked at a lot of places, but either they weren’t wide enough or their ceilings weren’t high enough or there wasn’t room for a bar and the simulators,” said Gerarde. “This space was exactly what we were looking for. They had a nice bar area, and the ceilings in the back where the beer vats were plenty high enough. It’s like a warehouse back there.”

Simulator lessons are available year round, and playing lessons—lessons that take place on the golf course—are offered during the months that golf courses are open. During a playing lesson, students are taught golf rules and etiquette as well as how to play different shots on the course.

For beginners who may self-conscious about taking lessons, PSG offers a private setting.

“A lot of people are much more comfortable learning in a private space,” said Gerarde. “That’s why I love these simulators. They are private, and it’s just the teacher and the student.”

PSG’s simulators utilize launch monitor and swing camera data to help students improve their ball contact and swing path. Instant video playback includes several different camera angles. Gerarde said the data is especially beneficial to low handicap golfers looking to take their golf games to the next level.

“They love the technology because they can see their swing rates, their club path, the spin rate that’s coming through on the ball, the side spin, and their launch angle. They love to see all that data,” he said.

The SUNY Adirondack golf team, coached by Gerarde and Boss, also utilizes PSG as their practice facility. Two of their players went to nationals, and one fi nished 8th in the country.

In addition to being used for team practices and lessons, simulators can be reserved for private use by individual or groups. PSG does not charge simulator patrons for use of the putting and chipping green, but it is available only when it has not been reserved as part of a “party package” that includes rental of both simulators.

According to Gerarde, PSG’s indoor putting and chipping green is the only one in the area.

“It was expensive, and we used really high quality turf. People tried to talk us out of it because it doesn’t generate revenue, but to us, it was really important. It provides added benefit to our clients who want to come in and have some fun putting and chipping around.”

Although Gerarde and Boss are PSG’s only employees, they expect to hire additional staff during the winter when indoor golf facilities are in high demand.

“Golf simulators don’t get much use during the summer when everyone is outside golfi ng,” said Gerarde. “But the main idea for our business was to provide lessons for students, so we are getting a lot of people who are coming in for lessons.”

PSG has a limited snack menu as well as a bar that serves alcoholic beverages. They have no plans of installing a kitchen, but patrons can order meals from Artisanal Brew Works and have them delivered to the PSG Golf facility.

In addition to offering simulator rentals, individual lessons, and 3 lesson packages, PSG offers a limited number of memberships that include 24 hour access to the facility. For more information, visit psggolf.com.