Spring in Newport, Cooked for You

Spring here is brief and specific. English peas show up for a few weeks. Rhubarb comes and goes fast. Soft shell crab has a window, and then it's over. I build the spring menu around what's actually available, not what's available year-round from a distributor, which means dinners in April and May taste different from anything I'd put together in January.

I cook in your space. That could be a house in the Point, a rental on Bellevue, or someone's place in Middletown with a good kitchen and a table big enough for twelve. You pick the date and tell me what you're after. I handle everything else, shopping, prep, cooking, plating, and cleanup. You don't touch a dish.

A Real Spring Dinner

Last May, I cooked for ten at a house on Kay Street. The host was celebrating a milestone birthday, the kind of dinner where people actually sit down for three hours instead of grazing around a kitchen island. We started with oysters and meyer lemon granita, lamb lollipops with apricot-walnut relish, and Parker rolls with the strawberry-rhubarb preserve I make in-house. Then rack of lamb, herb-crusted, with mint chimichurri and roasted carrots, and crispy skinned sea bass with spring garlic puree and glazed English peas. The strawberry rhubarb pavlova went out around nine, when the table had finally gotten loud.

That's the format. Not a catering line. Not a food truck. A private dinner, cooked and plated in your space, cleaned up before I leave.

What's on the Spring 2026 Menu

Every dinner starts with a conversation about what you want. The menu below is the full range, most guests choose three to four courses, and I help narrow it down based on group size, dietary needs, and the vibe you're going for.

Appetizers & Starters

According to Chef Paige Gilbert, spring is when the appetizer list gets the most interesting. The oysters come back, this time with meyer lemon granita, fennel pollen, and shallot mignonette. Korean BBQ skewers with bulgogi glaze and sesame seeds are the most popular starter on the spring menu, which surprises people until they taste them. The charcuterie board, duck prosciutto, coppa, Narragansett Creamery's Atwells Gold and Divine Providence, honeycomb, strawberries, gets ordered at nearly every event.

Other starters I run often in spring: lamb lollipops with cinnamon-spiced lamb and apricot-walnut relish. Short rib arancini with red wine braised short rib and truffle aioli — a guest favorite for good reason. Crispy duck bacon bites with rhubarb mostarda and feta. Smoked tomato bisque. Crab and gruyere palmiers. Clam chowder with cherrystone clams, bacon lardon, and leek velouté.

The bibb lettuce salad with chocolate, radish, fennel, asparagus tips, and mustard vinaigrette is one of the most-requested starters on the spring menu. The peach and arugula salad with burrata, pistachio, and wildflower honey is right behind it.

Entrees

The rack of lamb is the most distinct dish on the spring menu, herb-crusted, with mint chimichurri, roasted carrots, and pomegranate seeds. It's the one people come back for.

Seafood: crispy skinned Chilean sea bass with spring garlic puree, glazed English peas, and preserved lemon jus, the pea tendrils go on just before it hits the plate. Soft shell crab with sweet corn succotash, leeks, and caper-white wine jus. Branzino alla chitarra, a year-round staple, with tagliatelle, tomato confit, and preserved lemon butter. Halibut en papillote with fennel, citrus, and fresh herbs. Salmon over soba noodles with spring onion, sesame, and ponzu butter. Mussels with smoked tomato and calabrian chili. Scallops and arctic char with citrus glaze and dill oil. Lobster risotto with fra diavolo sauce.

Steak and chops: filet mignon, the most ordered entree, with red wine reduction and cauliflower potato puree. Ribeye with green peppercorn cream. New York strip with truffle demi glace. Bacon wrapped pork loin with rhubarb glaze, most popular pork dish on the menu, by a wide margin. Pan roasted pork chops with tomato and balsamic. Flank steak with green peppercorn marinade.

Pasta and plant-forward: potato gnocchi with lemon basil pesto, scallops, and mascarpone. Beef ragu with ricotta cavatelli. Chicken confit over orecchiette with leek and white wine cream sauce and hazelnuts. Chicken milanese with arugula, shaved parmigiano, and dijon cream. Moroccan-spiced chicken with green olives, apricot, and preserved lemon. Chicken thighs with mole verde and arroz blanco. Cauliflower steak with chimichurri, the most-ordered vegetarian dish, and the one that convinces skeptics.

Desserts

Strawberry rhubarb pavlova, meringue, rhubarb compote, strawberries, crème fraîche. The most spring-specific dessert on the menu, and one of the best things I make. Chai-spiced carrot cake with mascarpone cream and salted caramel, a guest favorite every year. Chocolate hazelnut tart with salted caramel and white chocolate whipped cream, the most popular dessert overall, spring or otherwise. Lemon and blueberry cheesecake with blueberry compote and crumble topping. Aperitif-infused crème brûlée. Matcha and white chocolate mousse with toasted shortbread crumb.

Spring Sourcing

According to Chef Paige Gilbert, spring is the season that requires the most patience. "The window for things like English peas and soft shell crab is genuinely short, you have to be paying attention. I source rhubarb locally when it's running, pull from Narragansett Creamery for the cheese boards, and time dishes around what's actually at peak. The spring menu reflects that, it's not just a rotation of year-round ingredients with a seasonal label on it."

That philosophy drives the menu from late April through June. Dishes adjust slightly week to week based on what I find.

How It Works

1. You inquire. Tell me the date, group size, and any dietary notes. I respond within 24 hours.

2. We build the menu. I send a custom proposal based on your preferences, usually three to five courses.

3. I shop and prep. All sourcing, grocery shopping, and mise en place happens before I arrive.

4. I cook in your kitchen. Full dinner service, plated or family style, your call.

5. I clean up and leave. Kitchen spotless, leftovers packed, you stay at the table.

For details on what private chef dinners typically cost in Rhode Island, I put together a full cost breakdown here.

What's Included

Every private dinner includes menu planning, grocery shopping, cooking, plating, table-side service, and full kitchen cleanup. I bring my own tools and equipment. You don't lift a finger.

Dinners work for groups of 2 to 50. Most spring events are 6 to 20 guests. I also offer hors d'oeuvres-only service for cocktail-style gatherings and private brunch for morning events.

If you're looking for something beyond a single dinner, weekly meal prep through the spring, for example, I do that too. More on meal prep here.

Book Your Spring Dinner

Spring dates move fast, especially around Easter, Mother's Day, and graduation weekends. If you have a date in mind, even a rough one, it's worth reaching out early. I'll put together a custom menu and quote within 24 hours.

Looking for summer? See the summer menu. Or read more about how seasonal menus shape what I cook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How far in advance should I book a spring private chef dinner in Newport?

A: I recommend reaching out two to three weeks before your preferred date at minimum. Spring weekends, especially Easter, Mother's Day, and graduation weekends, book early. If your date is flexible, I can sometimes accommodate shorter notice during the week.

Q: Can you cook for guests with dietary restrictions or allergies?

A: Yes, I work with every dietary need, including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and specific allergies. The spring menu has strong plant-forward options, and most dishes can be adapted. When we build your menu, I ask about restrictions upfront so every guest eats well.

Q: What size groups do you cook for in Rhode Island?

A: I cook private dinners for groups of 2 to 50 throughout Newport, Middletown, Narragansett, and the rest of Rhode Island. Most spring events run 6 to 20 guests. For groups over 20, I bring additional support so the experience stays personal.

Q: Do you cook for Easter and holiday dinners in Newport?

A: Yes, holiday dinners are some of my favorite events to cook. The spring menu includes dishes that work well for Easter, Mother's Day, and spring celebrations of any kind. Rack of lamb, in particular, is a classic for Easter dinners, and I cook it well.

Q: What's the difference between a private chef dinner and catering?

A: A private chef dinner is a restaurant-quality meal cooked fresh in your kitchen and plated course by course. It's not a buffet line or a drop-off. I'm there for the entire evening, cooking, plating, serving, and cleaning up. It's a full dining experience in your own space, whether that's a Newport home or a vacation rental anywhere on Aquidneck Island.