It's no surprise that chef-owner Jamie Knott immediately fell in love with Saddle River Inn.
Knott says, “I fell in love immediately. I mean, the charm! It's such a lovely setting. Such a charming place on the Saddle River. It's just really special. I like to say that it was ‘love at first bite’ because I just knew that it was meant for me.”
Learning on the Job
Knott’s incredible career began by learning ‘on the job’ in many restaurants as a teen, including Nutley’s Franklin Steakhouse. This training was followed by culinary school in NYC at the acclaimed New York Restaurant School, while also working at Café Centro, under Chef Franck Deletrain. Continuing this culinary journey at some of the most prominent restaurants in New York City and NJ, this award-winning chef always knew that he wanted to branch out on his own.
Growing up in Nutley, Knott didn’t know much about the Inn. He was searching for just the right place to start his own restaurant, when he discovered the gorgeous Saddle River Inn. The historical Inn was originally an 1800s basket weaving factory and sawmill. During his visit to the spot, Knott had a vision of the perfect setting to share his skills.
Everything Felt Just Right
“It was one of those moments where everything felt just right. I was looking all over the state, honestly, at different places. I probably looked at 30 or 40 restaurants before seeing Saddle River Inn, and then my mind was fixated on it. Once I sat in the dining room, I felt the charming character and drove around the town. It's a very special place for a lot of reasons.”
Knott sees Saddle River Inn as a neighborhood restaurant, which just happens to serve some of the most creative dishes in one of the best neighborhoods in the country.
“I always wanted to have a place like Gramercy Tavern, “ Knott explains.
Referring to one of America’s leading restaurants, the tavern is known for its unparalleled charm, delicious American cuisine, and incredibly warm hospitality.
“I think that's a good place to be—a quintessential New York City restaurant. I love New York City, so I tried to bring a little bit of the city to the suburbs with Saddle River Inn, and I hope I succeeded.”
Knott closed on the Saddle River Inn on January 1, 2012, and re-opened the week before Valentine's Day. Some minor renovations were done to brighten things up a bit—new tables, chairs, plateware, glassware, and silverware were added.
“We took all of the curtains down to let some of the natural sunlight in, to enjoy the view of the beautiful river. We added mirrors and updated the bathrooms.”
A Menu of Favorites
He certainly has succeeded in bringing a bit of NYC to Saddle River Inn, as well as his signature classy and unique dishes.
While there are many dishes that are popular at the Inn, everyone seems to have their own personal favorites. Known for truffles and truffle courses, they offer risotto and agnolotti pasta—made in-house, they're like little pillows of pasta—that they’re famous for.
The menu reflects Knott's travels and specialties. However, some dishes remain from the previous owners with Knott’s special touch, such as the center-cut filet mignon dish with chestnut butter and Bordelaise sauce—a French sauce that's typically made with dry red wine, bone marrow, butter, shallots and sauce demi-glace.
“The previous owners, Hans and Imelda Egg, told me, 'I think you should change the entire menu, but keep the Malabar dish on your menu. You can retire on that dish, like I did.' Those were his exact words.”
Fall and Family
The fall season always inspires creativity in the kitchen. As for what Knott will be cooking up, he has yet to fully share, outside of a few hints:
“We do venison very well, and our guests love it. Not a lot of people serve it anymore, so we may do venison chops with fall vegetables. Maybe with butternut squash, brussels sprouts, apples, parsnips…perhaps with a huckleberry gastrique. (Yum!) That's kind of a famous dish for the fall.”
“Beef Wellington actually is something that I've always wanted to add," Knott excitedly continues, “That's the famous dish of beef mushroom duxelle foie gras with a puff pastry, and finished with a red wine sauce.”
Outside of his hours in the kitchen at Saddle River Inn, Knott enjoys inspiring travel with his family, including a recent summer trip to Greece.
“We try to do one or two big trips a year. We like to explore the islands. We went to Italy last year for a while for 20 days to four different cities. We like history and culture, and I like my kids to see how the rest of the world lives.”
For fall fun with family, Knott enjoys carving pumpkins, going on haunted hayrides, and apple picking, when not busy sharing his culinary gifts with others.
An Extended Family
With his family as his inspiration, Saddle River Inn is Knott's passion. He’s had the same staff for 12 years, since they opened. His staff is like a big extended family. Each guest immediately becomes a part of that family. He adores his regular guests, who also adore him and his welcoming staff. He shares that they are all very close.
“Our regulars are like an extended family, and our guests are everything. It's a special place that’s found its own niche.”
Now in lucky year 13, Knott looks forward to what the future holds at Saddle River Inn, enjoying serving new dishes with warmth and love, one day at a time.
Saddle River Inn
Address: 2 Barnstable Ct, Saddle River, NJ 07458
Phone: (201) 825-4016
Website: www.saddleriverinn.com
“Our regulars are like an extended family, and our guests are everything. It's a special place that’s found its own niche.” — Jamie Knott
“I like to say that it was ‘love at first bite’ because I just knew that it was meant for me.” — Jamie Knott