Fidelity Hotel Brings on Dan Young as Executive Chef

Dan Young in the kitchen of Fore Street in Portland, Maine. Credit: Douglas Trattner

The last time I saw chef Daniel Young, he was manning the live-fire kitchen at the wonderful – and James Beard Award-nominated – Portland, Maine restaurant Fore Street. Prior to that, it was at Michael Symon restaurants such as Lolita and Mabel’s BBQ.

After years on the road, the Cleveland native has returned home to join the culinary team at the newly minted Fidelity Hotel (1940 East 6th St., 440-568-3200), the 97-room boutique hotel that opened downtown this past winter. Young has replaced opening chef Eddie Zalar.

“We are thrilled to welcome chef Young back home to Cleveland,” says hotel GM Eric Conrad. “As a native, he has shown tremendous enthusiasm for the property’s opening and where he can take our culinary program, so we know he will instill a sense of belonging and excitement into the kitchen. His expertise, passion for the destination, and infectious personality will generate momentum for our culinary team, to raise the bar on the exceptional dining experiences we provide for our guests and locals.”

As executive chef, Young will oversee all culinary at the hotel, not the least of which is the property’s signature restaurant Club Room. Already he has put his stamp on the menus, ingredients and execution therein. Look for new lunch and brunch offerings at Club Room, including the Club Room Club with smoked turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato and Duke’s mayonnaise and the Chicken Schnitzel with roasted beet mustard, fennel, pickled onion and frisee.

After working for Symon at Lolita and Mabel’s BBQ locations both in Cleveland and Las Vegas, Young went on to work at Fore Street in Portland. After his stint there, the chef traveled out west to serve as executive chef of Halcyon Hotel in Denver.

“I’m beyond excited to have joined the Fidelity team, and to be immersing myself back into the Cleveland food scene,” says Young. “Myself and the rest of the team here are thrilled to be a part of it, and are looking forward to the future for both the city and Club Room.”