Behind the Stove With Chef Elliott Vogel at Panza’s: Tradition, Technique & A Taste of the Wild
When Panza’s in Saratoga announced on Facebook the hiring of Executive Chef Elliott Vogel, the comments were overwhelmingly positive. Having made a name for himself in the Capital Region culinary world, many already knew of Vogel from his work at Siro’s, The Delaware, Daley on Yates, Jack’s Oyster House, and other well-known restaurants. “I’m a big fan of Elliott’s food. Very exciting,” and "Absolutely awesome news,” were a couple of the comments.
But others were concerned about the long-lasting legacy that is Panza’s, and how that might be altered: “I hope the traditional dishes don’t change,” said one, while another reminded us that, “Panza’s has always been about family.”
Good news for Panza’s fans and those who will be dining there for the first time under Chef Elliott’s leadership: the cornerstone dishes their audience has come to love for the past 88 years will stay - in conjunction with newer menu items.
We chatted with Chef Elliott about what he’s bringing to the table (including the fact that he’s a licensed forager with a unique ability to bring in local ingredients), Panza’s spring menu, 88th anniversary, and a new, intimate, 10-person dining experience coming to the restaurant.
From Applesauce to Artistry & Today’s Kitchen Culture
When asked what got him into cooking in the first place, Chef Elliott says the spark started at a young age: “I realized there was a lot of beauty just above the stove. I could barely see what was going on, but whatever landed, it was kind of like magic. If it wasn’t done right, it was covered in applesauce.”
This culinary curiosity turned into an impressive career, from traveling for a year and a half to the West Coast and the South to studying at the Culinary Institute of America, before landing in enviable chef positions in the Albany area.
Chef Elliott refers to the hustle and bustle of a busy kitchen as a “sequenced dance that speeds up and slows down and can change situationally at any moment.” Everyone has to have their head in the game, especially the Executive Chef.
Besides having experience cooking different types of foods from across the country, and being backed by a solid culinary education, Elliott brings something else into his kitchen: kindness.
“When I got out [of school] I wanted to be a nicer chef than what I received trying to learn the craft. I think it’s important. A valuable ingredient is the people. You treat them nice, otherwise it gets all over the food and the business.”
Preserving the Legacy of Panza’s
With over a dozen Italian restaurants in Saratoga, one must ask the question, “Why Panza’s?” Panza’s is known for their homestyle recipes passed down through generations since 1897. Reviewers consistently call out the veal, chicken parm, carrot cake, and clams casino, but they’re more than just incredible food.
Panza’s is a full dining experience the way it should be: good food, great service from a family-owned restaurant, and an ambience that makes you feel like you’re enjoying the ultimate fine dining experience. Think of warm decor, Sinatra-style piano music, and every single menu item created with the utmost care and attention to detail.
Chef Elliott joined Panza’s in early 2026. While he’s excited about a fresh energy and new dishes and experiences for the restaurant, he has no plans to upset such an important Saratoga institution.
“You have to carry the name,” he told us. “Eight or nine menu items right now could easily pay the rent by themselves. They’re simply done well. . .those recipes stay.”
A New Energy Simmering in the Kitchen & The Spring Menu
Chef Elliott has been embracing the Italian way of cooking: “I’m taking my French background and looking at, what is the Italian version of this? What’s similar to this? And doing research on how we can pull it off, how we can spin it. . .it’s not just cooking. There’s a lot to it.”
When it comes to the new spring menu, we can expect about 15 new items, plus a couple of desserts. He’s considering some lighter fare, but will always keep some nice cuts of meat on the menu, including a game meat.
One Japanese-inspired technique Chef Elliott is planning for the "steak and potatoes" crowd: Kilcoyne Beef Delmonicos aged for eight days in-house using whiskey koji, fennel, and black pepper, resulting in a dry-aged flavor profile with a secret-sauce finish.
He described his approach to creating a new seasonal menu: “First you look at the seasonality and then you look at the categories of the menu that you think should be filled. To do that you look at your competition. What are they good at, what are they capable of, how can they adapt? How can you adapt in a way that they cannot? You have to stand out but still attract a mainstream audience.” There will be a new spring cocktail list as well.
When asked what diners can see here that they won’t anywhere else, Chef Elliott said, “Foraged items.”
The Forager's Touch: A Commitment to Local
While Chef Elliott took to cooking at a young age, there is one aspect of being a chef that is a downside: the fact that you have to be indoors: “Some people can do live cooking outside, but most are inside, with the health code, and New York State. Not a lot of outdoor cooking. But there’s a lot of peace out there.”
Chef Elliott spent two or three years diving into the world of foraging - but no mushrooms yet, just greenery, berries, and similar items. “And then the mushrooms came,” he said. “I had my first real flush of morels. I actually fell onto the ground. Fell on a stump. . .there were these little white flowers. . .you couldn’t put your hand or foot down without stepping on a morel. It was like a gold mine. Sixty pounds of morels.”
From there, Chef Elliott went for his forager certification, which required 600 hours of logged identification by himself, a 3-day class, and he had to get a 100 on a written exam with 400 written answers. “So it was pretty intense.”
He and a sous chef he was working with got licensed on all the mushrooms on the eastern seaboard that are possible to sell. “I’ve never made any real money from it,” Chef Elliott told us, “But I get to bring in the freshest, most wild local ingredients.” His favorites to work with are black trumpets, chanterelles, and morels.
Vogel teased a Pappardelle with locally foraged fungi and the arrival of nearly 300 pounds of local ramps - harvested sustainably by taking only the leaves and leaving the bulbs to grow for next year.
Beyond mushrooms, Panza’s brings in local ingredients whenever they can. “If it’s not something we can get locally it’s something seasonal popping up in a week - maybe 20, 30 miles from here. It’s a big deal, with the price of gas.”
Looking Ahead to New Dining Experiences & Clientele
As Panza’s heads into summer and the track season, they’ll pick up more staff and will do about “four times” the amount they’re accustomed to now. “We’ve taken some tables out of the dining room for more space,” he told us, “But come busy season, come track, we’re going to go for the gold.”
In the meantime, Panza’s is planning for a new 10-person dining experience and their 88th anniversary.
“For the last eight years I’ve been doing tasting menus, and they do have a little bit of a following,” Chef Elliott said about the 10-person dining experience. “The kitchen right now isn’t set up for larger than probably 10. Right now we’re putting out small amounts of plates every 2 minutes. . .we couldn’t do 60 of the same plate out of the kitchen right now.”
Chef Elliott didn’t have many details yet on the 88th anniversary celebration in May, but he did mention they’re going to partner up with a charity to be determined.
Keep an eye on Panza’s social media for announcements on the 10-person dining experience and their anniversary celebration!
Plan Your Visit to Panza’s
Chef Elliott knows he’s filling big shoes. “I bought new shoes yesterday,” he joked. He’s already finding his rhythm at Panza’s, and we’re only going to see more great things from this chef as track season comes trotting along.
Don’t wait for the busy season. Plan an evening out now to get a taste of what Chef Elliott has on the menu - and what we can look forward to at Panza’s for hopefully years to come, whether you’re sticking to their tried-and-true dishes, or you’re ready to try something new. Make a reservation today!
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