Chef Matt McCallister welcomes a new bar team and chef de cuisine to his Design District restaurant. Jason Ferraro, formerly of Hibiscus, is joining the crew. Ferraro has worked with Charlie Trotter, Anne Quatrano, Bruno Menard, and Stephan Pyles. Most recently he was executive chef at the Porch and Hibiscus.
“I look to partner with people that are going to push me and the restaurant to be better every single day. I’m confident that this team will do that,” says McCallister. “The bar program is a collaborative process, and our entire team will be contributing their various strengths to develop some awesome new cocktails. I’ve known Jason for years, and have always admired his food and culinary mind. I’m thrilled he’s joining our growing team.”
FT33’s General Manager and Wine Director Jeffrey Gregory will continue to handle the cocktail program, and Tristan Price is coming on board as well. He spent over 10 years of bartending in New York spots like Pegu Club, and he was trained by ‘King Cocktail’ Dale Degroff, Scott Augat who has worked in fine dining service for over a decade, and trained with Chad Solomon and Christie Pope of Cuff’s and Buttons, and Robert McLemore, a San Antonio transplant from top tier bars such as The Brooklynite, a James Beard Foundation Semifinalist for Outstanding Beverage Program. Price and Augat have been with FT33 for six months and 18 months, respectively.
The team has already been working on some new cocktails, and will begin barrel-aging specialty cocktails and spirits, set to debut on the menu in early October.
