When Clyde’s Restaurant Group megarestaurant/music hall the Hamilton opened in December, it was a 24-hour operation with a massive menu from chef Brian Stickel, who had previously cooked at sister eateries Clyde’s and 1789. The restaurant seemed to struggle to execute the more ambitious items on the menu, but attracted healthy crowds of drinkers and diners.
In April, the Hamilton cut back its hours. A rep told the Guest of a Guest website that “it was hard to keep schedules up. It was also difficult for managers to take time off.” Recently the restaurant debuted a half-price sushi bar happy hour—from 3 to 6 every day guests are offered discounted rolls, nigiri, and sashimi from executive sushi chef Jason Zheng.
Today, word comes from the restaurant that Stickel has been promoted to corporate chef at the Clyde’s Restaurant Group, in charge of all its Washington-area restaurants. Replacing him as exec chef at the Hamilton is Salvatore Ferro, who moves over from Clyde’s of Georgetown. Ferro previous worked as executive sous chef at 1789. A press release sent this morning listed three dishes on Ferro’s Hamilton menu—jumbo lump crab cake, flat-iron steak frites, and duck carbonara—none of which represents a significant departure from Stickel’s. We’ll check in with the restaurant for more details about plans going forward.
Related: A Q&A with John Laytham, CEO of Clyde’s Restaurant Group
