Exeter Fine-Dining Restaurant 'Otis' to Close in May
Otis, an upscale restaurant in Exeter, New Hampshire, will close its doors in May after its lease was not renewed. The restaurant is led by chef Lee Frank, a finalist on the reality competition show "Yes Chef." Frank has not yet announced his future plans following the closure.
Otis resided in a historic downtown Exeter building, the former Otis Sleeper Jewelry Store, which dates back to the early 1900s. The restaurant, which opened in 2016, was known for its 28-seat intimate dining room and a five-course tasting menu that changed weekly, focusing on modern American cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. The opportunity arose when the owners of the Inn by the Bandstand approached chef Lee Frank about the space attached to their inn. Chef Lee Frank, a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef Northeast, has been a fixture on the Seacoast culinary scene since 2005. Before opening Otis, the California native honed his skills at notable restaurants like The Lark Creek Inn in San Francisco, and in New England at Bonta in Hampton, MC Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, and as the executive chef at the acclaimed Arrows Restaurant. Frank gained national recognition through his appearances on several television cooking competition shows. He competed on Food Network's "Chopped" and was a victorious contestant on "Beat Bobby Flay." His appearance as a finalist on NBC's "Yes, Chef!" was driven by a desire to prove himself after feeling overlooked in the past. The closure of Otis was not by choice; the restaurant's landlord decided not to renew the lease. This brings an end to a nearly 10-year run for the fine-dining establishment that was considered a pioneer in elevating Exeter's restaurant scene. While the chapter on Otis is closing, Frank is not leaving the Exeter area. He will continue to operate his casual burger restaurant, Lee Frank's, which has a location in Exeter and others in South Berwick and Wells, Maine. This venture pays homage to his Southern California roots and his start in the industry flipping burgers at age 15. In his announcement about the closure, Frank hinted at a new chapter, stating he is "extremely excited for this next project." This suggests that while Otis will be missed by patrons of fine dining, they can anticipate a new culinary concept from the acclaimed chef in the future.
