02/16/2026
Hudson Valley, we’re so excited to introduce you to Hagan Whelchel! He’s the new Culinary Director of Nice and Weird Group — our team behind Kitty’s, The Caboose, Grapefruit Wines, and The Wick hotel.
With more than 25 years at the helm of some of the most influential names in American dining, Hagan’s career reads like the greatest hits of modern hospitality. Trained at Western Culinary Institute and sharpened under Alain Ducasse at NYC’s Essex House — where he helped achieve a four-star New York Times review — he went on to hold senior leadership roles within the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, making history with his appointment as Chef de Cuisine at Ad Hoc + Addendum. He later led acclaimed culinary programs at Tartine and HomeState and held a senior R&D role at The Cheesecake Factory. Now, Hagan is bringing big-stage technique and behind-the-scenes precision to Kitty’s and The Caboose — creating dining experiences that are vibrant, communal, and unmistakably alive.
“I’m fired up to join Nice and Weird because it’s the kind of place that still believes restaurants can have a soul and a point of view — creative without being precious, ambitious without losing its sense of humor. It’s a team building something real, not just something loud. Doing that in the Hudson Valley hits on a deeper level. The farms, the seasons, the history, the scrappy-meets-refined energy — it’s a landscape that rewards food with roots and intention.”
Here’s a toast to what’s ahead. Welcome, Hagan. 🥂
