New chef brings new menu to Domaine Hudson

A change of chefs means a menu overhaul at Wilmington's Domaine Hudson restaurant.

With the recent departure of executive chef Dwain Kalup and his sous chef Brent Chellew, new top toque Patrick D'Amico is making his own mark in the kitchen. 

D'Amico has just changed the menu at the 70-seat fine dining establishment and has included new pasta dishes, entrees like rib-eye steak and a signature foie gras appetizer ($21) of buttered brioche and a bourbon-bacon jam.

The 51-year-old, a veteran of Harry's Savoy Grill, the Hotel du Pont and Eclipse Bistro, began working at the Washington Street restaurant on Feb. 1.

He replaces Kalup,  Domaine Hudson's chef since 2013, who recently relocated to Arizona to work at The Hermosa Inn in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Chellew, Kalup's longtime sous chef, departed the restaurant earlier. Taking his place is Brian Cooper, who formerly worked at Cinghiale Osteria in Baltimore. 

D'Amico left Harry's Savoy Grill in 2015 when he became a partner and helped open Metro Pub & Grill, the Middletown eatery owned by the RM Hospitality Group. 

He was on board to create two more restaurants, but he parted ways with the hospitality group in January 2017. After a few months of going through some serious health issues, he emerged as head chef at the Bayard House in Chesapeake City, Maryland.

D'Amico filled in for Kalup at Domaine Hudson this past October when Kalup got married. The chefs had worked together at Harry's Savoy Grill. Kalup encouraged D'Amico to apply for the Domaine Hudson job when he decided to relocate to Arizona.

The chef said he has already seen patrons whom he has known from his previous restaurant jobs and from appearing at local culinary events.

"I'm just being myself. I'm just going to concentrate on cooking," D'Amico said. 

Domaine Hudson is considered one of the state's best restaurants. In 2017, Kalup was a semifinalist for a James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic region. Beard Awards are widely considered the country's highest culinary honors. D'Amico has previously been a James Beard Award semifinalist when he was executive chef of Eclipse Bistro on Wilmington's Union Street.

D'Amico has already tweaked or replaced several items from Kalup's menu. Gone is the Allen Brothers Coulotte Steak, a lean cut also known as a top sirloin cap. In its place is Allen Brother New York Strip Steak ($39) with roasted cippolini onions, horseradish cream, buttermilk onion rings and pinot noir reduction. 

The pan-roasted whole fish remains, but instead of branzino, D'Amico is serving a strawberry grouper. 

"It's a beautiful fish," he says of the delicate-tasting white meat swimmer that's also known as Calico Grouper,

Pastas, all still made in house, have been revised.

The kabocha squash stuffed tortellini has been 86'ed for rabbit tortellini ($15/$28) with oyster mushrooms, pine nuts, and golden raisins. Farro stracci has been pushed aside for herb cavatelli with tomato broth, shaved garlic and parmesan curls ($13/$25). 

"There's no egg in the cavatelli. If you eliminate the cheese curls, it could be a vegan dish," the chef said.  

D'Amico started his cooking career at the former Positano, a 10-table critically acclaimed Northern Italian restaurant in Wilmington. At that time, he worked with Javier Matamoros, who is now Domaine Hudson's General Manager/Maitre'd.

He also has worked with Sommelier/General Manager Roger Surpin at the Hotel du Pont.

"It's good to be back in Wilmington," D'Amico said last week while sitting in Domaine Hudson's dining room.

D'Amico is hosting an Inaugural Chef's Dinner at the restaurant on March 4, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The five-course dinner, $85 per person, will feature wines by Stolpman Vineyards and will be presented by California winery owner Peter Stolpman.

To see the menu and make reservations, visit www.domainehudson.com/events/

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico

KEEP READING

Wilmington shooting victim died in front of his children, family says

Reports end nudist gatherings at Delaware club

ChesDel restaurant bows out after 38 years