Dan grew up in the Chicagoland area and his love of cooking began as a young teen and his desire to be creative in the kitchen took him to Kendall College for Culinary Arts. After graduating, he honed his skills in some of Chicago's top restaurants as well as high-end restaurants in both Austria and France. Dan landed in Madison as executive chef at the members-only Madison Club. His passion for Heritage breed pigs led to him founding Fox Heritage Farms in 2011, adding the role of farmer to his repertoire.
Since creating Fox Heritage Farms and opening Heritage Tavern, he has cultivated relationships with many local farmers and vendors in the community to create a reputation of excellence. He has received several awards and accolades including, being a three-time James Beard Award finalist, Food & Wine People's Choice Best New Chef finalist, Madison Magazine Chef of the Year, and a Food Network "Chopped" Champion.
To this day, Dan continues to put out new and inspiring dishes at the Heritage Tavern spanning from tavern-style comfort food to classic French cuisine.
At Heritage Tavern, our philosophy is simple: amazing food, crafted with care, and served with warmth. We’re rooted in a farm-to-table ethos, sourcing the freshest local ingredients to create dishes that celebrate the seasons.
Our bar showcases fun and inspiring craft cocktails—thoughtfully made, never pretentious. Whether you’re here for a full dining experience, a quick drink at the bar, or anything in between, we welcome you to enjoy the Tavern however you see fit.
Come as you are, stay as long as you like.
We offer a fresh take on upscale tavern-style comfort food—familiar, satisfying, and elevated. Our menu is rooted in seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and inspired by flavors from around the world, with subtle nods to French technique and Eastern Asian cuisine.
From thoughtfully crafted small plates to hearty mains, each dish is designed to be both approachable and refined. It’s food that feels good—whether you're sharing with friends or savoring something all to yourself.
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