Summer private chef · Rhode Island & Massachusetts

A summer dinner, in your home.

A summer menu cooked in your home across Rhode Island, Cape Cod, and the Boston metro. Built around heirloom tomatoes, stone fruit, scallops, and local oysters at full peak by mid-July.

Reserve Your Summer Date
Summer cooking

The summer table.

Summer in Newport is short and crowded with everything good. Heirloom tomatoes from the farms in Tiverton and Little Compton. Stone fruit from Schartner Farms in Exeter. Striped bass running through Narragansett Bay. Soft shell crab early in the season. Local oysters at full peak by mid-July. The window is genuinely about ten weeks and it goes fast.

The summer menu reflects what’s actually happening on the boats and in the fields the week of your dinner, not a static rotation. Dishes shift slightly week to week based on what’s at peak. The peach and arugula salad in late July tastes nothing like the version you’d get in early September.

The sourcing is local. Newport Seafood for the fish and shellfish. Aquidneck Meat for the tomahawk, filet, and ribeye. Local farms in Tiverton and Little Compton for heirloom tomatoes and stone fruit. Narragansett Creamery for the cheese boards (Atwells Gold and Divine Providence are the regulars). Local oyster fishermen for whatever’s running peak the week of your dinner.

Summer 2026

The full summer menu.

Every appetizer, entrée, and dessert in the current rotation. Tomahawk, peach and burrata, raspberry basque cheesecake, soft shell crab, and the rest of the lineup. Updated each summer.

View the Full Menu (PDF)
A sample night

A summer evening on the table.

SAMPLE SUMMER MENU

A Summer Evening

FIVE COURSES · IN YOUR HOME

FIRST

Oysters

Yuzu Granita, Champagne Mignonette

SALAD ★ MOST POPULAR

Peach & Arugula Salad

Burrata, Pistachio, Mint, Basil, Wildflower Honey, Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

PASTA

Charred Corn Agnolotti

Jalapeño, Sweet Corn Velouté, Cilantro Lime Essence, Cotija

MAIN

Tomahawk

Chimichurri, Bourbon Glaze, Smoked Butter

DESSERT ★ MOST REQUESTED

Raspberry Basque Cheesecake

Raspberries, Pistachio Crumble, Raspberry Coulis

Sample menu only · Yours is built around your guests and what’s peaking the week of your dinner.

Last July

Twelve guests. One Middletown porch.

Last July, twelve guests at a house in Middletown with a porch that looked over the harbor. Oysters with yuzu granita and champagne mignonette to start, the granita just barely loose against the cold brine. Heirloom tomato and burrata with arugula, basil oil, and a thin slick of aged balsamic, served around the kitchen island while the host poured the first round of rosé.

Charcuterie board with Atwells Gold and Divine Providence from Narragansett Creamery, dotted with stone fruit. Crispy soft shell crab plated with sweet corn succotash. Tomahawk with chimichurri and bourbon glaze, sliced at the table with smoked butter melting into the pan jus. Charred broccolini family-style. Strawberry champagne cake with macerated berries at sunset, when the harbor light starts to go pink.

That’s the shape. Yours gets built differently.

How a summer night runs

Three steps. One night.

01
Reach out
Send the date, headcount, and what kind of night you’re planning. I usually reply within 24 hours.
02
Menu design
I send a custom proposal, three to five courses, built around your guests and what’s peaking that week. You approve, change, or swap.
03
Event night
I arrive 2.5 hours before guests, prep, cook, plate, serve through the meal, and clean before I leave. The kitchen looks like the morning.
Every summer booking

What’s in the price.

Every summer booking through Partum Events includes:

  • A custom summer menu designed around your guests, occasion, dietary needs, and what’s peaking that week
  • Full ingredient sourcing from Newport Seafood, Aquidneck Meat, Tiverton and Little Compton farms, and Narragansett Creamery
  • All shopping done before arrival
  • Full on-site preparation in your home kitchen
  • Plated or family-style service, your choice
  • Service through every course
  • Complete kitchen cleanup before departure
  • Dietary accommodations (vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, pescatarian, severe nut allergies, celiac, kosher-style, halal)
  • Wine pairing recommendations on request
Common summer questions

Questions about summer.

When does the summer menu rotate?
Summer 2026 runs from mid-June through early September. Fall rotates in mid-September. Some peak summer ingredients (heirloom tomatoes, stone fruit, local oysters at full peak) only run for a few weeks within the summer window.
What’s the most popular summer dish?
The peach and arugula salad with burrata, pistachio, and wildflower honey is the most-requested dish on the entire menu. The chicken confit over tagliatelle is the most-ordered entrée. The filet mignon is the most-ordered steak. The tomahawk is the most distinct, the one people ask for when they want the night to feel like an event.
What’s the most-requested summer dessert?
The raspberry basque cheesecake with pistachio crumble. The strawberry champagne cake with macerated strawberries and vanilla gelato is the bridal favorite, frequently chosen for engagement and rehearsal dinners.
Do you do summer seafood towers?
Yes. The summer seafood tower (oysters, littleneck clams, shrimp cocktail, sometimes lobster or scallop ceviche depending on the day) is a guest favorite for larger groups and a frequent centerpiece for cocktail-hour stations before a seated dinner.
Where do you source ingredients in summer?
Newport Seafood for fish and shellfish. Aquidneck Meat for tomahawk, filet, and ribeye. Local farms in Tiverton and Little Compton for heirloom tomatoes and stone fruit. Narragansett Creamery for cheese boards. Local oyster fishermen for whatever’s running peak the week of your dinner.
How many guests can you cook for?
Most summer dinners land between six and fourteen guests. For larger groups, additional staff (sous chef, server, plater) joins the booking so service stays smooth.
Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
Yes. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, pescatarian, severe nut allergies, celiac, kosher-style, and halal are all accommodated. The menu is built around the most restrictive eater so no one ends up with a fruit plate while everyone else has a multi-course dinner.
How far in advance should I book?
Two to three weeks lead time minimum. July and August Newport weekends fill six to eight weeks out. Memorial Day weekend, Fourth of July, regatta weeks, and Labor Day are peak. Weekday dinners are easier to lock late, but weekend evenings need real lead time.
Do you cook for vacation rentals in summer?
Yes. Newport, Cape Cod, and Watch Hill summer vacation rentals are a regular booking. The first night you arrive is one of the most common slots. Stocked kitchen, table set, dinner served, no one shopping.
Do you serve Cape Cod and the Boston metro in summer?
Yes. Cape Cod and the Boston metro suburbs are part of the regular summer service area. Travel surcharges apply for events more than 90 minutes from Newport. See the Cape Cod page or the Boston page for region-specific notes.
Can you do an outdoor summer dinner on a patio, lawn, or dock?
Yes. Newport summer outdoor dinners on the patio, lawn, or harborside dock are some of the most-booked summer formats. The setup adapts to the venue. Pre-set composed first courses, hot-hold for the mains, and a portable plating station to keep service moving even when the kitchen is across the lawn from the table.
Do you cook for July 4 and Labor Day weekend Newport rentals?
Yes. July 4 and Labor Day weekend Newport rentals are some of the busiest summer dates of the year. Both weekends typically book six to eight weeks ahead. The dinner usually anchors a Friday or Saturday night for ten to sixteen guests at the rented summer house.
Do you handle the wine pairings for a summer dinner?
Wine sourcing is your call. I do not stock or markup beverages. I will recommend pairings that match the menu (a chilled rosé for the lighter first courses, a crisp Sancerre for the seafood, a lighter Pinot Noir for the steak) and serve what you provide throughout the night.
Other seasons

Beyond summer.

Late March – early June
Spring
 Mid-September – late November
Fall
 Late November – early March
Winter
 Custom holiday format
Holiday Menus
Reserve your summer date

Tell me about your night.

Newport summers fill fast. Send the date, headcount, location, and what kind of night you’re planning. I usually reply within 24 hours.

Inquire About Your Summer Dinner