Restaurateur John Stephenson is a fine chef in his own right, and has also shepherded a couple of really talented chefs through the kitchen at Hathorne since its opening almost exactly three years ago. His opening team of Joey Molteni and Evan LoJacono have since moved on or planned to explore new opportunities at other restaurants after the new year, but Stephenson has managed to keep a talented bench in place, even through the difficult business conditions of the pandemic.
One way he has accomplished this is by inviting chefs in to do pop-ups at his restaurant, introducing them to the Hathorne culture and giving them a little try-out along the way. That’s how he attracted Michael Hanna of St. Vito to bring his popular focacciaria to the Hathorne dining room on Sundays, and even work in the kitchen of the restaurant on days the young chef isn’t slinging his amazing sfincione pizzas and Sicilian street food.
Now Stephenson has brought another pop-up master in to helm the kitchen at Hathorne: Mathew Meeker, who you might remember from a story I wrote earlier this year about his hester (small “h”) project, which had appearances at Hathorne as well as Proper Sake and Bastion.
Meeker brings experience working under some great local chefs with stints at Butcher & Bee, Husk, The Continental, Joyland and Peninsula. His talents working with local and seasonal ingredients as well as his love of fermentation and preservation should fit in quite nicely at Hathorne.
“Hathorne is a fun place to eat, and I have such respect for the identity John and his team have created there,” says Meeker. “My culinary viewpoint of using both seasonally fresh and preserved ingredients in dishes aligns with the menu that guests know and love. I look forward to building on favorites and pushing Hathorne forward.”
His new boss is pretty amped, too. “We are delighted to bring Mathew into the kitchen at Hathorne,” says Stephenson. “He’s an immensely talented young chef who has garnered a lot of experience in kitchens I respect and enjoy. Mathew already has a rapport with the team at Hathorne, and I look forward to the continuation of what we’ve built here, along with his fresh ideas.”
You can check out the new chef’s chops for either dining in or carrying out Wednesday through Saturday from 5 until 10 p.m. at 4708 Charlotte Ave. — and don’t forget about those Sunday fun days with St. Vito!
