deadhorse hill

deadhorse hill is a seasonal american restaurant and daytime cafe located on main street in downtown Worcester. A restaurant inspired by the New England landscape. We rely on the hard working farmers throughout the northeast and the fishermen along the coast to provide the best possible food at the table.

Our warm hospitality and comforting service led by Sean Woods compliment the rustic elegance of our chef Jared Forman. Together, our kitchen and service teams provide a unique experience driven by passion.

The restaurant offers two different experiences. During the day, our cafe is open for casual lunch, serving pastries, sandwiches and salads with a walk-in setting. In the evening the dining room offers an à la carte and chefs tasting menu that speaks of the season, varying based on the availability of ingredients.

We are located in what used to be the first floor of the 'Bay State House' hotel which served as the headquarters for the Worcester Automobile Club, who held the Dead Horse Hill Climb from 1905-1911. The hotel itself was a prominent location for social, political, and business meetings, likely in part due to their world class restaurant.

sean woods

drinks

Sean Woods’ career path certainly wasn’t traditional or expected. It’s not often that one goes from guitarist for a major label rock band to beverage director and co-owner of a restaurant. Born in Queens and raised in Florida, Sean was always fascinated by music, but despite countless pleas for a guitar every Christmas and birthday, it wasn’t until he was 20 and had moved to California that he finally bought one for himself. Completely self-taught, Sean was welcomed to play with local bands within just a few months. It wasn't long before Sean became guitarist for the hardcore rock band, Open Hand, and toured extensively all over the world.

Seeking a lifestyle change, Sean moved to Boston in 2008 and joined the team at Tony Maws’ Craigie on Main where he learned how to operate a fine dining restaurant for four years. Following, he landed at Paul Maslow’s neighborhood restaurant, Strip T’s in Watertown, as manager. Then, five weeks before Tim Maslow was slated to open his first concept, ribelle, Sean was asked to come on board as bar manager, despite having never before made a cocktail professionally. Over the next few weeks, he read every relevant book he could, met a number of the city’s leading bartenders, and staged at some of the area’s most prominent cocktail bars, including Eastern Standard, Brick & Mortar, Steele & Rye, and No. 9 Park. By the time ribelle opened, Sean had developed an impressive menu that featured nods to classics as well as a handful of originals.

jared forman

food

Born and raised in Brooklyn as a diehard Mets fan, Jared’s earliest memories of food was the diversity the city had to offer. From Sunday red sauce Italian dinners at home with the family, to Chinese, Thai, and Indian in Queens, to french and upscale restaurants in Manhattan, he couldn’t get enough of how varied the flavors and experiences were there.

Jared first pursued an associates degree in chemistry and math at Hunter and Queensborough Colleges before realizing his real passion and applying to the culinary arts program at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. The official launch of Jared’s culinary career came when he landed an internship at the critically-acclaimed Per Se in New York where he was provided the opportunity to work and truly learn about kitchen operations. Next, he took a position at momofuku noodle bar before moving over to momofuku Ssäm Bar shortly after its opening.

After three years with David Chang, Jared joined the team at Michael White’s Marea and spent six months between the pasta and crudo stations. He then secured a job as line cook at Gramercy Tavern working under Michael Anthony and in the pastry kitchen with Nancy Olson.

Jared then moved to Massachusetts to help Tim & Paul Maslow run Strip T’s in Watertown as Chef de Cuisine and open Ribelle in Brookline, MA. While there, he was able to experiment, cook the food he loves, connect with customers, and help reinvigorate the longstanding neighborhood favorite. There, he met Sean Woods, his future business partner.

bert laValley

paperwork

Born and raised in Western, MA, Albert LaValley attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. Beginning as an electrician in the construction industry while in school, he secured a position with a large mechanical engineering firm following graduation. Rising quickly through the ranks, Albert left the firm after seven years as a Vice President. In 2014, Albert founded his own engineering firm, Sustainable Comfort, Inc., specializing in sustainable housing where he improves multifamily homes by making these buildings more efficient.

In 2015, friends and future business partners Jared Forman and Sean Woods asked Albert for his help opening their first restaurant in a historic 160-year-old space in downtown Worcester. Looking for a way to blend his entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for storied buildings and local preservation & growth, he came on board as coowner and CFO of deadhorse hill.

Tougher they have built deadhorse hill from the ground up, seeking ways to preserve the integrity of the original space and utilize its unique elements, including authentic brick walls that had been boarded up, improving upon the aged parquet ceiling, and more. Now, the restaurant is a combined representation of historic Worcester and the revitalization & growth of the city.