Shortly after Robb and Ashley Hammond opened their doors in February 2022, I visited First & Last, and immediately fell in love with this charming neighborhood eatery and its engaging owners. That’s the intent of their passion project—to share a love story with the community. “The name is something super-personal to us,” explains Ashley. “When we were first dating, Rob would send me messages saying “you’re the first thing I think about in the morning, and the last thing I think about before I go to bed.” Before long, the two words evolved into an affectionate shorthand. “We text the words ‘first’ or ‘last’ as a way of saying we’re thinking of each other,” shares Ashley.
The Hammonds’ romantic journey began while working at The Misfit in Santa Monica, California. Their relationship has now led them to downtown Phoenix, specifically the historic Gold Spot building on Roosevelt Row. With a combined 40+ year history in the hospitality industry, Chef Robb helms the kitchen while Ashley manages the front of the house and the beverage program. On tap you’ll find cider, craft brews, and Amaro Montenegro, while the wine list spotlights small producers and organic and biodynamic wines. The cocktail menu is just as thoughtfully curated. “We’re always tinkering to keep it fresh,” says Ashley. “The drinks rotate like the food program. Right now, the team is using beautiful apples and pears and making house-made syrups for our newest cocktails.”
“It’s very important to me that everything you eat and drink go together well,” comments Robb, whose ever-changing menu may include mouthwatering Burrata ala Pana with Whipstone Farm peppers and grilled sesame semolina bread. Also look for the braised bacon Bolognese with local Sonoran Pasta. And don’t miss knock-out signatures such as Robb’s Clams swimming in an herb-flecked white wine broth scented with fennel, or cubes of silky tuna tartare tossed with apples and capers layered on grilled toast with olive tapenade.
Join us for a chat with Robb to learn more about his culinary journey and what makes First & Last so special.
How old were you when you got your start in the kitchen?
I’ve been on the line since I was 14 years old, so I’ve been doing it for 30 years now. I always joke that the reason I’m a chef is because it’s the only thing I was ever good at.
Tell us about your culinary background.
I started in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and made my way to Chicago, where I went to culinary school and cut my teeth at great restaurants like Alinea, Trio, and Naha. I spent time in France and Spain as well, working in Michelin 3-star restaurants. I got to see what the top of the world looked like from a food standpoint and, though I learned it wasn’t exactly my calling, it was a fantastic experience. By the time I was 27 years old, I had returned home and opened my own restaurant, which I had for about a year, and then worked in restaurants around Michigan. I moved to LA, eventually becoming the regional executive chef of LGO Hospitality in California, and met Ashley when she was the manager of The Misfit in Santa Monica.
What brought you to Arizona?
We just decided we wanted more in life, and Ashley’s from here, so Phoenix felt right. It’s been absolutely perfect ever since. We really love the valley.
How did you choose downtown Phoenix for your location?
We live in the neighborhood and have always been big supporters of our own community. It also fits our aesthetic, being in a historic building like the Gold Spot. We live in an older house and love the history of older things. It’s a great neighborhood that’s really blossomed in the last five years and we wanted to share that.
How would you describe your menu?
It’s very Mediterranean. There’s a little of my Midwest too, but I love the flavors of the Mediterranean. Having worked in the South of France and Spain, I love to vacation there, and Ashley loves it as much as I do. We also change the menu a lot. We figured out that in the first eight months, we were open, we did 170 dishes. It’s something I’ve tried to slow down a bit, but I think it’s exciting for the guests as we have a lot of regulars. We have some guests that have been here up to 30 times. It’s remarkable.
Do you have any mainstay dishes?
Everything has changed except for three: Robb’s Clams, the tuna tartare, and the ribeye, though we changed the description of the ribeye. It’s funny – originally we had it listed with caponata, but nobody really ordered it. So now we call it Sicilian ratatouille, and we sell two to three times more than what we were selling before.
What do you want guests to take away from the experience?
We opened this restaurant for the complete picture of a great environmental experience. If you walk out of here not only talking about a dish or a drink you loved, but also how much you really enjoyed yourself, that’s so important to us. It really means the world to me and Ashley that people enjoy the space and each other’s company. That space is us. It’s the food, it’s the drinks, it’s the service, it’s everything.
Written by Christina Barrueta
Photography by Luke Irvin
1001 N 3rd Ave #1, Phoenix, AZ 85003