Gilded Glamour
Sample Chef Timothy Caspare’s alluring cuisine at The Vanderbilt in Newport.
ith a background boasting various cities around the world and Michelin-starred restaurants, Chef Timothy Caspare arrived in Newport, Rhode Island, to take the helm of The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection’s entire culinary program, including The Dining Room restaurant, its alfresco The Roof Deck and all events, as executive chef.
Caspare’s experience has taken him from Pasquale Jones in New York City and Blue Hill at Stone Barns to Quince Restaurant and Eleven Madison Park. He now brings that knowledge, innovation and culinary artistry to one of the Northeast’s most beloved properties.
Which food is your guilty pleasure? And on the opposite end of the spectrum, what is one ingredient or food you hate to use? My ultimate guilty pleasure with food is a plate of crispy noodles drenched in duck sauce and paired with hot mustard. General Tso chicken served with fluffy white rice is another. Whenever I’m in New York City, I love satisfying these cravings at Wo-hop.
I strongly dislike using dried coconut in any form. This aversion might be rooted in a less-than-pleasant memory from a rainy car ride I once had on the way back to New Jersey from a Yankees game. I distinctly remember feeling nauseous in the car while munching on a coconut candy.
What dishes would you serve at a private dinner party? For a private dinner party, I would serve a delightful array of dishes to impress my guests: Start with a flavorful appetizer, such as wild boar salami imported from Volpetti in Rome. Follow with a refreshing radicchio salad drizzled with Tuscan olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and a dash of exquisite fruit vinegar from Huillerie Beaujolaise. For the main course I’d offer a choice between two pasta dishes: handmade orecchiette with cauliflower and sausage, or trofie with crab, hot pepper and piennolo tomatoes. As the centerpiece of the dinner, I’d slow roast a succulent lamb shoulder over a charcoal fire, seasoned with a tantalizing blend of anchovy, garlic and marjoram. I’d complement the main course with a classic Italian side dish like fagioli al uccelletto.