Daniel Dameron
Alley Cat Lounge | Savannah, GA
NOVEMBER 2024
Born in Atlanta, Daniel Dameron moved around often as a kid, from New Mexico to North Carolina to Florida. He joined the industry at a young age, working as a server and dishwasher at a local restaurant. He moved back to Georgia for high school and started barbacking on the side before he went off to Georgia Southern University. While in school, Dameron got a job as a server at 40 East Grill and was soon promoted to assistant manager. He eventually taught himself how to bartend and, at 20 years old, he was promoted to bar manager and general manager of the group’s newest bar. In his first official leadership position, Dameron took advantage of the creative freedom, developing a menu of fun shooters and Jell-O shots for the college crowd.
After graduating, he moved to Savannah and joined the team at The Grey. Working under Bar Manager Cody Henson, Dameron learned the basics of high-level bartending and spent hours studying flashcards, reading, and practicing his skills. In 2016, he was promoted to bar manager. After a two-week stint at Husk under Bar Manager Kevin King, Dameron joined the opening team at the Perry Lane Hotel’s The Wayward, where he forged pivotal relationships with other local bartenders.
One year later, Dameron, with encouragement from King, returned to Husk, this time as bar manager. Over the next two and a half years, Dameron embraced the hyper-seasonal menu, engaged with the kitchen, and learned about wine while also building a cocktail menu that paired effortlessly with the Lowcountry-inspired dishes. Feeling run-down and in need of a break, Dameron decided to take a few months away from the restaurant and worked as a cocktail consultant until he joined the team at Alley Cat Lounge in 2021. As bar manager, Dameron is looking to strengthen the local bartending community while creating cocktails that tell a story. He changes the menu twice a year and centers it around a theme that inspires him—from world history to superheroes and comic books to music.
2024 StarChefs Charleston-Savannah Rising Stars Award Winner
