Chef Scott Romano, formerly of Charlie Palmer, joining Nick & Sam’s Empire

Big news today: Scott Romano is back, and he’s getting the band back together. Sort of.

Romano, the former executive chef of Charlie Palmer at the Joule until leaving last year to become a private chef for a Dallas family, has decided to put plans for his own restaurant on hold and oversee part of the Nick & Sam’s empire.

“Scott is joining us,”  Nick and Sam’s top chef Samir Dhurandhar told me, “and I couldn’t be happier.”

Romano will lead the culinary team for Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse plus an expanding empire of Nick & Sam’s Grills. (A new N&S Grill is under development in Addison.)

Romano walks into a ready-made fit: Richard Blankenship , the chef of the just-opened Nick & Sam’s Grill – Park Cities, worked for Romano at Charlie Palmer, as did NSG recent-hire Taylor Kearney, who jumped ship at the Greek to join Nick & Sam’s Steakhouse.

An early visit of Nick & Sams’ Grill – Park Cities wowed me. And though I haven’t been to the original steakhouse in a while, it left the Dallas News’ Leslie Brenner less enthusiastic, so Romano has a little work to do.

Dhurandhar says he will continue to oversee all the company’s restaurants, including the steakhouses, grills, and Coal Vines, which is also in expansion mode.

I think Romano is one of the city’s most talented chefs. From charcuterie to dry aged beef to handmade pastas, Romano is the real deal. So glad to have him back.