An Evening at Fairbanks
Thursday, January 22, 2026
We are trying something new! Thursday, January 22nd, we are checking out Fairbanks in Lewiston with a fabulous multi-course tasting menu prepared by the team that brought us Billy Club in Buffalo. Daniel Hagen and Jake Strawser resurrected Lewiston’s historic Frontier House with a beautiful gut renovation, turning it into a chic restaurant and bar, and one of the hottest reservations to snag in WNY.
They say: “With Fairbanks, we didn’t want to drop something way too over the top into this space and have it feel completely out of place. We wanted something that felt welcoming, something that felt like home.” That being said, it is a fine dining restaurant, AND very comfortable. There’s a focus on regionality, sourcing premium ingredients from local producers and craftspeople, beginning with the tables to the crafted ceramic plates and steak knives.
Before planning any Chaîne dinners, Andy and I eat several times at a restaurant, and I must say, Fairbanks blew us away every single time. They hit the ground running — the food, cocktail program, and service are outstanding. I am delighted to share Fairbanks with you all. When you come back on your own sometime, I would encourage you to enjoy their terrific cocktail program curated by their Somm/Beverage Manager Eric Pitman.
The Culinary Team
Executive Chef Matthew Hirt — With over 15 years of experience, Chef Matt began as sous chef for Prescott Provision’s opening and then went on to work at SPQR in San Francisco; former #1 restaurant in the world, Eleven Madison Park; and most recently as Chef de Cuisine at Nudibranch in Manhattan, where he oversaw their culinary operations.
Pastry Chef Molly Doherty — Chef Molly, who began her career at Elm Street Bakery, is well-known for her five years spent as the Executive Sous Chef at Butter Block, where she was instrumental in helping run one of Buffalo’s best pastry programs. Before that, Molly spent two years at the prestigious one-Michelin-star Nomad in NYC.
Jedidiah Gaskin — Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Young Chef national winner.
Pastry Sous Chef Erin Maslowski — Chef Erin has worked locally at Angeline and The Grange, and is a graduate of The French Pastry School in Chicago. She honed her skills at Everest, a one-Michelin-star restaurant.