A Kith/Kin Alum Will Lead a Members-Only Restaurant Near the White House

Martel Stone/official photo

Martel Stone, a former executive sous chef at (now-closed) Afro-Caribbean fine dining destination Kith/Kin, will lead the kitchen for a new full-service restaurant and bar connected to the Gathering Spot, a private networking club for the progressive set that opened its original location in Atlanta five years ago. Located blocks from the White House at 1720 I Street NW, the Gathering Spot is scheduled to open Monday, March 15. At an American restaurant called the H, Stone will weave in influences from the African diaspora, his upbringing, and his travels. The H will be open to members and their guests only, but non-members can book its events space. Founders Ryan Wilson and TK Petersen say they were moved to start a club built around supporting the Black community when a Florida jury acquitted George Zimmerman of murder and manslaughter charges after he killed unarmed Black teenager Trayvon Martin.

In other news...

• Speaking of Kith/Kin, James Beard Award-winning chef Kwame Onwuachi has a new gig as an executive producer at Food & Wine, where he’ll headline big events and help the outlet run its mentorship program for Best New Chefs.
• Duck Duck Goose chef Ashish Alfred will import his acclaimed French brasserie in Bethesda and Baltimore to D.C., securing the Dupont Circle space that housed short-lived Vintage78, Washington City Paper reports.
• Spike Mendelsohn’s shuttered Santa Rosa Taqueria on Capitol Hill is reportedly relocating a few doors down (301 Pennsylvania Avenue SE) next year.
• Oyamel’s Tequila Mezcal Festival returns this week (Wednesday, March 3 to Sunday, March 14) with virtual cocktail classes, a five-course tasting dinner, and specials.
• Chance for Life’s annual fundraiser for pediatric cancer raised over $1.5 million over the weekend. The glitzy gala and poker tournament at MGM National Harbor went virtual this year, selling 400 delivery dinners stocked with returning participants like Service Bar, Chicken + Whiskey, Daikaya, ChiKo, Grazie Grazie, and Chloe.

• It’s opening day for Mediterranean fast-casual Rōti’s latest area outpost in Chevy Chase (4461 Willard Avenue), and to celebrate, the first 200 guests will get a free entrée up to $10. All purchased mains this week come with a complimentary side of hummus.
• Too Good To Go, an app devoted to fighting food waste by saving surplus meals and ingredients at local stores in Philly, NYC, and Boston, is coming to D.C. soon.