Roger Solt - the hidden figure of Holly Hill Inn
For years dinner guests at Holly Hill Inn would gesture toward the solo diner seated at his usual two-top, with his epic beard and ever-present book, and ask sotto voce “Who is that? Does he come here often?” To which we always answered: yes, every night; he’s one of the owners.
As Holly Hill Inn celebrates its 22nd birthday, we think it’s time to introduce Roger Solt, Chris and Ouita Michel’s business partner from the start. He’s our very own hidden figure and his longtime friendship with Ouita helped spark her career as a chef and restaurateur. But first, she was a student debater and he was her coach.
Roger grew up in Bowling Green, Ohio and earned degrees from Wake Forest University and Bowling Green University. After realizing, as he put it, “that I was far more interested in coaching debate than I was in Speech Communication as an academic discipline”, Roger moved to Lexington in 1980 to coach debate at the University of Kentucky .
“I met Ouita on August 15, 1982 in room 145 of the Patterson Office Tower. It was the opening session of UK’s pre-school debate workshop and I had heard that Ouita was one of our top prospects.”
August 15, 1982 was Ouita’s 18th birthday and Roger’s third year of coaching; the team was rebuilding, having lost several students to graduation and transfers. They had just come off two strong seasons though, and reached the semi-finals of the National Debate Tournament in both. So hopes were high for the new recruits.
“Ouita had been a very good debater by local Kentucky standards but she had not had very much national experience. Her freshman year, she started out debating with a somewhat more experienced freshman from the Bronx High School of Science. He, however, proved to be a disappointment, and Ouita rapidly emerged as the best debater on the team.”
Off the debate stage, students and coaches bonded on the road to and from tournaments. Although as Roger admitted, “we were on a very limited budget so fine dining was not really a part of debate travel. Burgers and pizza were the staples, with Mexican and Italian the more ‘upscale’ alternatives. (Legendary UK Professor) J.W. Patterson was fond of Cracker Barrel, so when he was traveling with the team that was a frequent stopping place.”
Still, those debate dinners made a lasting impression on Ouita.
“In a roundabout way, traveling to tournaments kindled a deep interest in me for restaurants, international cuisine, and cooking. We loved going to Chicago so we could indulge in the famous stuffed pizza from Carmen’s or Edwardo’s. And we loved Chicago’s Greek town, especially the flaming cheese and chicken with artichokes. In Chicago Roger and I, and our good friend Ross Smith from Wake Forest, feasted on Banchan in a fantastic Korean restaurant for the first time.
Describing Ouita’s debate years at UK, Roger reflected on her rapid progress.
“Though she started significantly behind many of her contemporaries, Ouita improved a great deal over the course of her freshman year and by her sophomore year, she and her partner ranked as one of the top sixteen teams in the country. By her junior year they ranked second, winning both the Harvard and the Dartmouth tournaments. And her senior year they won the National Debate Tournament.”
Ouita still remembers the night they won the National Debate Tournament at Dartmouth, and how they celebrated afterward with a Twin Lobster Dinner at Legal Seafood.
“They stayed open just for our team that night: all six or seven of us, with the trophy in its own chair in an empty dining room. Their generosity has stayed with me ever since. We still host the UK debate team for dinner each year, as a salute to the many great meals I’ve had with Roger and all of our debate friends over the years.”
It was Roger who introduced Ouita to Steve Mancuso, director of our Holly Hill Inn Wine Guild. Steve was another star UK debater, who had won outstanding individual debater at the NDT his own senior year.
Ouita described “Wine of the Day” get-togethers, hosted by their friend Ross during summers in Ann Arbor, teaching at debate camp. “We tasted a new wine each afternoon – examining its color, its legs, nose and flavor profile. Never was wine tasting so fun or educational. I think these simple afternoon affairs gave rise to our Wine Guild today, since Steve Mancuso often joined us for those tastings.”
In Holly Hill Inn’s earlier days, before the Wine Guild became established, we often stocked our beer cooler based on Roger’s preferences. Today Roger’s a regular at Wine Guild tasting sessions where, according to Steve, he has been “instrumental every step of the way in building its success.”
Debate, food, wine. A mentorship that turned into a lifelong friendship and partnership. Roger never stopped following Ouita’s culinary career and when she and Chris had the chance to buy the Holly Hill Inn, he eagerly signed on as an investor. The day they closed the deal, Ouita and Chris and Roger, along with her mom and step-dad, went out for a “mammoth lunch” at Arirang Garden In Lexington and it’s still one of their favorite places.
Twenty-plus years and eight more restaurants later, Roger says his taste buds have definitely developed. “Sometimes I think I must be the best-fed person in Kentucky! Most of what I know about fine food I owe to Ouita. And most of what I know about wine comes from Steve and the Wine Guild. I hope I was able to teach Ouita and Steve as much about debate as they’ve taught me about food and wine.”
Ouita confided that Roger is a legend in the debate world – honored as National Coach of the Year and Best College Debate Judge, among many other recognitions. We happen to think he’s a legend in the restaurant world as well. He’s definitely our champion.
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Spoonbread Soufflé
This is our gourmet take on an old Kentucky favorite — spoonbread. In this version we top it with slow cooked lemons, fresh goat cheese and some nuts. This is a great first course in 4-ounce buttered ramekins or, if you’d like, use a 2-quart baking dish, either glass or ceramic, and serve it family-style as a side dish.
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