CHEF ANTWAN CHARMS THE CROWD
Over the weekend, Hamilton’s Kitchen (Website) rolled out a new spring menu crafted by their new Executive Chef, Antwan Ellis. Born and raised in Barbados, Chef Ellis comes to Winter Park by way of Las Vegas, where he was the Executive Chef & Culinary Director for Emmitt’s Vegas — the first Black‑owned restaurant on the Las Vegas Strip.
Named for the eighth president of Rollins College, Hamilton Holt, Hamilton’s Kitchen is the signature restaurant of The Alfond Inn (Website). The Alfond also serves as an extension of the Rollins Museum of Art (Website), exhibiting over 140 pieces lining its walls. (In fact, the museum will be the hotel’s neighbor when its new location opens across the street in a couple of years.)
One of these works of art, Souvenir Palace: Cricket Bats by Meschac Gaba, displayed on the hotel’s second floor, served as inspiration for Chef Ellis’ menu, and he began to consider bridging the gap from his island home to Hamilton’s traditional American Southern fare. Almost autobiographical, Ellis says he shares “my journey, my life, my experiences” through the spring menu. The menu includes a grilled rack of lamb, a golden crab cake, and a crusted grouper.
On the eve of the menu’s launch, Ellis shared a story with invited guests to an exclusive tasting late last week. He was once challenged by a mentor to come up with a butter cake, which the mentor posited was a fundamental dish for a chef. Ellis tasted many butter cakes and made a few that the mentor didn’t like, until he hit on the recipe for the dessert now being served at Hamilton’s Kitchen. “Antwan,” the mentor said, “that is f-ing it.” The impossibly moist cake is drizzled with a Maldon sea salt caramel, and you don’t want to leave the restaurant without having it.
