In the Kitchen: The East End’s New GM Hannah Weaver

When it comes to all the fine details that go into running a restaurant, The East End’s new general manager Hannah Weaver has gotten good at operating the proverbial switchboard behind the scenes. “There’s the stuff you expect, like running the floor, doing the fun things like managing the whiskey menus, planning the new cocktail programs, and getting to speak on those things to the customers,” says Weaver of her role at the whiskey bar and bistro on Wickenden Street. “Then there’s the funny things you’re not expecting, like trying to figure out trash protocols and who’s turn it is to clean the grease trap. At any minute I’m prepared to clean up broken glass, help shuck oysters, or wash silverware.”

The position is one that Weaver has earned through a dose of moxie and years of experience in all aspects in the service industry, beginning when she was 16, and over the course of a career that’s led her from Seattle to New York City to Detroit and now Providence. “I joined The East End team in 2021, right in that summer when restaurants were really starting to reopen. It was a really small staff at the time, and I think it was entirely women in the front-of-house. It was such a cool experience,” she reminisces.

Being surrounded by professional, career-driven women, as well as all female bartenders in a traditionally male-dominated space was “a dream come true.” After working as the assistant manager, Weaver took over the general manager role when the position became open. She also recently represented the Northeast region on season 13 of reality TV show MasterChef, showcasing her culinary skills and proving that she’s capable of running every aspect of a restaurant, from greeting guests and staffing to the
bar and kitchen.

Weaver isn’t the only new addition to The East End. The restaurant briefly closed in November of last year for renovations,

but retained all of its employees and paid them to help, from reupholstering benches and building new table bases to pitching ideas on how to make the restaurant function better. “We got this chance to rebuild, reopen, with our own hands in it,” says Weaver. She and staff worked together to change the low dining tables to high tops at the lower area of the restaurant, which makes the atmosphere more casual for low-commitment eating (think quick drinks and appetizers like Shishito Peppers, Point Judith Calamari, or Crispy Hakka Eggplant), while providing a feeling of space that post-pandemic
diners need. “It brings the life back into the bar,” says Weaver, who touts the success of the team-led ideas, proudly noting that the restaurant has been slammed since reopening.

Her biggest goal for The East End is to create a space that “caters to everyone at any given moment.” She is joined by the restaurant’s new head chef, Josh Davis, in developing a menu that reflects versatility to fit any diner’s wants and needs. To that end, Weaver is working to expand the bistro’s hours. “We just started opening for a late-night food service. The East Side doesn’t really have anywhere to grab dinner late – even a snack! – so we are doing burgers and fries all half-priced until midnight on Thursday, Friday, Saturday,” she says. Brunch hours to accommodate early afternoon oysters and charcuterie are
in the works.

But at its core, The East End is a whiskey bar, and Weaver is creating a newsletter highlighting new spirits and happenings. With hundreds of varieties and seasonal bourbon-based cocktails, Weaver and bartenders can give recommendations based on price, taste, and flavor profile of the meal. For diehard fans, The East End’s special brown-butter-washed bourbon Kettle Corn Old Fashioned might be a good choice with a burger, as the kitchen uses the same butter from the bourbon washing to cook the meat. 

But no matter your choice – from Duck Reubens or raw bar fare to burgers and pork shanks – the establishment is “a classic.” “The East End will have whatever you want,” affirms Weaver, and exceptional service. “It’s important to know you have somewhere that feels comfortable and inviting, and I think beyond food, beyond whiskey, beyond the cocktail program, that’s what we really aim to be.”

 

The East End

244 Wickenden Street

433-9770

TheEastEndPVD.com