A Brief History
Greenwich, Connecticut
Settled in 1640 by English colonists from the New Haven Colony,
Greenwich, Connecticut stands as one of New England's most storied
and affluent communities. Perched along the Long Island Sound
shoreline in lower Fairfield County, its harbor villages and rolling
back-country estates have long attracted financiers, diplomats, and
tastemakers. Greenwich incorporated as a town in 1665 and evolved
from a colonial trading outpost into a celebrated enclave of
world-class schools, private clubs, waterfront estates, and an
exceptional dining culture that prizes both provenance and
craftsmanship — the very values that animate every board Private
Chef Robert curates.
Why Greenwich Chooses Private Chef Robert
The Top 2 Key Benefits of Hiring a Private Chef in Greenwich, CT
"In Greenwich, entertaining is an art form. A private chef transforms
your home into a Michelin-caliber dining room — without the
reservation wait list."
Hyper-Personalized Fine Dining — In the Privacy of Your Own Home
Greenwich residents command the best in every arena of life, and
their dining table should be no different. When you retain Private
Chef Robert, your menu is not chosen from a restaurant's pre-set
card — it is composed entirely around you: your dietary
requirements, your flavor preferences, your guests' allergies, the
seasonal bounty of Fairfield County, and the occasion you are
celebrating.
For a course like I Formaggi Il Tagliere Calabrese, that
personalization is extraordinary in scope. Chef Robert sources
Caciocavallo Silano DOP and Soppressata di Calabria DOP from
curated importers, cross-referencing them with hyperlocal
accompaniments — raw local honey from
Ashlawn Farm in Lyme, CT, estate-pressed extra
virgin olive oil from New Canaan Farms, fig
preserves sourced at the celebrated
Greenwich Farmers Market on Arch Street, and
specialty accompaniments selected in person at
Darien Cheese and Wine on Boston Post Road in
Darien, CT — one of the most respected artisan cheese shops in all
of Fairfield County.
This is dining as couture. Every element is fitted, adjusted, and
refined for you specifically. No restaurant on Greenwich Avenue —
however accomplished — can offer that level of individualized
attention. Your dining room becomes the most exclusive table in
town, and every course tells a story you helped write.
For families with specific health-and-wellness priorities, Chef
Robert collaborates with nutritionists and integrative health
practitioners to compose menus that are simultaneously medically
mindful and gastronomically extraordinary. Guests with gluten
sensitivities, dairy considerations, or low-FODMAP requirements
experience the same splendor as every other guest at the table —
without compromise, without awkwardness, without a chef who has
never met them making decisions on their behalf.
When you pair that culinary intelligence with the luxury of your
own home — your fine china, your cellar's wines, your garden's
herbs, your children asleep upstairs — the experience transcends
dining. It becomes a memory.
Total Time Savings & Stress-Free Luxury Entertaining
Greenwich is a town where time is the rarest commodity of all.
Managing a hedge fund, leading a corporate board, raising a
family, and maintaining a meaningful social life leaves precious
little bandwidth for the planning, shopping, cooking, and cleaning
that a truly elevated dinner party demands. That is precisely
where Private Chef Robert becomes indispensable.
From the first consultation, Chef Robert assumes complete
ownership of every logistical detail. He designs the menu, builds
the shopping list, visits Stew Leonard's in
Norwalk for produce and dairy, secures specialty Italian imports
from Eataly NYC (Flatiron or World Trade Center)
— driving the 45 minutes to Manhattan without a second thought
when the finest 'Nduja Spilinga or Fichi Dottato di Cosenza DOP is
required. He visits DeCicco & Sons in
Larchmont or Pelham for fine Italian grocery staples, sources
artisan bread from Wave Hill Breads in Norwalk,
and selects premium proteins from
Walter Stewart's Market on East Putnam Avenue in
Greenwich — a beloved institution in the community since 1907.
On the day of your event, Chef Robert arrives with all mise en
place complete, sets up silently and professionally in your
kitchen, executes each course with precision timing, and presents
every board and plate to your guests with the quiet confidence of
a seasoned fine dining professional. When the last guest departs,
he leaves your kitchen cleaner than he found it.
The time reclaimed is staggering — typically 12 to 18 hours of
planning, shopping, cooking, plating, and cleaning for a dinner
party of eight. That is time returned to you for conversation with
your guests, for the enjoyment of exceptional wine, for being
fully present at your own table rather than disappearing into the
kitchen every twenty minutes with an apron and a timer.
For busy Greenwich executives, families, and estate owners who
entertain regularly — whether for intimate suppers of four, seated
dinners of twenty, or grand estate celebrations — this is not an
indulgence. It is an intelligent investment in the quality of your
life and the depth of your relationships.
Course 4 · Deep Dive
I Formaggi Il Tagliere Calabrese
Calabria — the sun-scorched toe of Italy's boot — produces some of the
most characterful, intensely flavored cheeses and cured meats on the
peninsula. Each element of this board carries the weight of centuries
of artisan tradition.
DOP Certified
Caciocavallo Silano
Calabria · Basilicata · Campania, Italy
A stretched-curd pasta filata cheese of ancient origin,
Caciocavallo Silano DOP is formed by hand into its distinctive
gourd shape and hung to age — its name possibly derived from the
practice of hanging the cheese "on horseback" (a cavallo)
over wooden beams. Young wheels deliver a mild, buttery, slightly
tangy flavor; aged wheels — the preferred choice for Il Tagliere
Calabrese — develop a complex nuttiness, a firm pliable interior,
and a golden rind with faint notes of grass and wildflower
pasture. It slices beautifully onto a board and welcomes the
company of honey and dried fig.
Pecorino Crotonese Stravecchio
Province of Crotone, Calabria, Italy
Produced in the province of Crotone along Calabria's Ionian coast,
Pecorino Crotonese is made exclusively from the raw milk of native
Calabrian sheep. Stravecchio — meaning "extra-aged" — denotes
wheels that have been matured for a minimum of twelve months,
developing a hard, granular texture, a deep straw-gold interior,
and a bold, assertive flavor of lanolin, salt, roasted nuts, and
dried herbs. Grated over pasta or shaved onto a salumi board, it
is one of southern Italy's great forgotten masterworks.
'Nduja Spilinga
Spilinga, Vibo Valentia, Calabria, Italy
Perhaps the most celebrated export of Calabrian cuisine, 'Nduja
(pronounced en-DOO-ya) is a fiercely spicy, silky-soft spreadable
pork salami from the hilltop town of Spilinga. Made with Calabrian
chili peppers (peperoncino), lard, and pork trimmings — all
slow-cured and packed into natural casings — it is intensely
crimson, aggressively flavored, and utterly irresistible. On a
cheese board, it is spread directly onto toasted crostini or
thin-sliced rustic bread and paired with the cooling mellowness of
aged Caciocavallo. For those adventurous enough, 'Nduja melted
into a simple tomato sauce over pasta is revelatory. Chef Robert
sources 'Nduja Spilinga DOP directly through Eataly NYC's
Calabrian specialty importers.
DOP Certified
Soppressata di Calabria
Calabria, Italy
Soppressata di Calabria DOP is among Italy's most prized protected
cured meats. Unlike its more delicate northern cousins, Calabrian
Soppressata is robustly seasoned with black pepper, chili, and
native spices, pressed (soppressa) as it dries to achieve
its characteristic slightly flattened form. The DOP designation
guarantees that it is produced exclusively within Calabria's
traditional zones, using only certified Calabrian pork — a
guarantee of provenance, purity, and craft that Chef Robert
insists upon for every board. Its deep, earthy, slightly spiced
profile pairs magnificently with aged Pecorino Crotonese and the
natural sweetness of Fichi Dottato.
DOP Certified
Fichi Dottato di Cosenza
Province of Cosenza, Calabria, Italy
Fichi Dottato di Cosenza DOP are among Italy's most celebrated
figs — a small, teardrop-shaped variety cultivated in the
limestone hills above the Crati river valley in the province of
Cosenza. Their DOP status protects not only their geographic
origin but their traditional drying method: harvested at peak
ripeness in late August, the figs are sun-dried on racks for three
to four weeks, developing a concentrated sweetness, a
chewy-yet-tender texture, and a flavor of honey, balsam, and dried
citrus peel. On the board, they provide the essential sweet
counterpoint to the saltiness of aged cheese and the fire of
'Nduja. They can be sourced at Eataly NYC and specialty Italian
import shops in the metro area.
✦ ✦ ✦
The Board in Context: Why This Course Belongs in Greenwich
Greenwich, CT's dining culture is defined by a sophisticated
understanding of provenance, craftsmanship, and the art of the table.
Residents of Belle Haven, Cos Cob, Riverside, and the North Street
backcountry estates dine regularly in the world's great restaurants —
from Le Bernadin in Manhattan to Mugaritz in San Sebastián — and they
bring that global palate home. When Private Chef Robert presents
Il Tagliere Calabrese as Course 4 of a multi-course tasting
menu, he is not offering a party platter. He is offering an education
in one of Italy's most undersung culinary traditions, presented with
the precision and reverence it deserves.
The board bridges the gap between the familiar comfort of a cheese
course and the exhilarating discovery of something genuinely new. For
guests who know their Comté from their Gruyère but have never
encountered the volcanic complexity of 'Nduja or the mineral depth of
Pecorino Crotonese Stravecchio, this course is a revelation — the kind
of moment that makes a dinner party genuinely unforgettable.
Where Chef Robert Shops
Local & Regional Sourcing — Greenwich, CT & Beyond
The finest boards begin long before the kitchen. Private Chef Robert's
sourcing philosophy is rooted in hyper-local relationships, DOP
certifications, and a refusal to compromise on quality.
Greenwich and lower Fairfield County enjoy remarkable access to
exceptional food purveyors — from Long Island Sound's own waters to
the artisan shops of Darien, the farmers markets of Greenwich proper,
and the world-class Italian specialty retailers of New York City just
45 minutes down I-95. Chef Robert has built relationships with the
best of them.
| Vendor / Purveyor |
Location |
What Chef Robert Sources |
| Darien Cheese and Wine |
1030 Boston Post Rd, Darien, CT |
Artisan Italian and European cheeses; affinage-aged selections;
curated cheese board components; wine pairings for Il Tagliere
Calabrese
|
| Eataly NYC — Flatiron & WTC |
200 Fifth Ave & 4 World Trade Center, New York, NY |
'Nduja Spilinga, Soppressata di Calabria DOP, Fichi Dottato di
Cosenza DOP, Caciocavallo Silano DOP, Calabrian olive oils,
specialty Italian pantry
|
| Walter Stewart's Market |
1 East Putnam Ave, Greenwich, CT |
Premium artisan breads, local charcuterie, fine imported goods,
seasonal produce; a Greenwich institution since 1907
|
| Stew Leonard's |
100 Westport Ave, Norwalk, CT |
Fresh figs (in season), local honey, specialty olives, fresh
herbs, seasonal fruit for board garnish
|
| DeCicco & Sons |
Larchmont, NY · Pelham, NY |
Italian specialty grocery — Calabrian chili oil, Castelvetrano
olives, DOP condiments, artisan crackers
|
| Wave Hill Breads |
284 Wilson Ave, Norwalk, CT |
Artisan sourdough, rustic country loaves, crostini bases — baked
fresh daily using heritage grain milling
|
| Greenwich Farmers Market |
Arch Street, Greenwich, CT |
Seasonal fresh figs, local honeys, artisan preserves, fresh
herbs, local greens for board garnish
|
| Ashlawn Farm Coffee |
Lyme, CT (ships regionally) |
Local raw honey; seasonal farm products used as natural
sweeteners and board condiments
|
| Aux Délices |
1075 East Putnam Ave, Greenwich, CT |
Artisan handmade crackers, specialty baked goods, fine pantry
items for board accompaniment
|
| Terrain Garden Café / SHED |
Westport, CT |
Seasonal locally grown herbs, edible flowers, organic
micro-greens for board garnish and plating
|
| Mozzicato-DeVivo Bakery |
Hartford, CT (delivery available) |
Traditional Italian taralli, biscotti, and savory baked
accompaniments
|
| Long Island Sound |
Coastal Fairfield County, CT |
When the board is extended as a seafood-and-cheese hybrid, local
oysters and littleneck clams from Sound-certified harvesters are
incorporated — a stunning local counterpoint to Calabrian
imports
|
Chef Robert's Sourcing Philosophy: Every purchase
decision balances DOP certification, seasonal availability, local
relationship, and the irreplaceable quality differential between a
cheese or cured meat sourced this week versus one sitting in a
warehouse for months. For Il Tagliere Calabrese, that means a
personal visit to Darien Cheese and Wine for the cheeses, a trip to
Eataly NYC for the DOP salumi and Fichi Dottato, and a stop at the
Greenwich Farmers Market for the honey and fresh figs when in season
(late July through September in Connecticut).
The Recipe
Il Tagliere Calabrese — Full Recipe
This board is an exercise in curation, proportion, temperature
management, and the precision art of composition. Every element earns
its place.
Private Chef Robert · Course 4
I Formaggi Il Tagliere Calabrese
Calabrian Artisan Cheese & Salumi Board
Mise en Place
Mise en place — "everything in its place" — is the
foundational discipline of professional cooking. For a composed
cheese and salumi board of this caliber, impeccable mise en place is
what separates a professional presentation from a domestic one.
Complete all mise en place before guests arrive and no later than
one hour prior to service.
| Component |
Preparation Action |
Timing Before Service |
Notes |
| Caciocavallo Silano DOP |
Remove from refrigeration; slice half into 3mm coins, leave
quarter in wedge form, quarter as a whole piece for visual
|
45 min before |
Room temp unlocks full aromatic complexity |
| Pecorino Crotonese Stravecchio |
Break into irregular shards using cheese knife (do not slice —
fracture surface reveals crystalline interior)
|
45 min before |
The jagged break is intentional and visually superior |
| 'Nduja Spilinga |
Remove from casing; portion 50g into a small ramekin; leave
remainder in half-casing for visual presentation
|
30 min before |
Warm slightly (5 min at room temp) for optimal spreadability
|
| Soppressata di Calabria DOP |
Slice thin (1.5–2mm) on mandoline or by hand; arrange in loose
folds / "roses"
|
30 min before |
Do not slice too far in advance — oxidation diminishes color
|
| Fichi Dottato di Cosenza DOP |
If fresh: halve lengthwise. If dried: arrange as-is or slice
through the equator to reveal honeyed interior
|
20 min before |
Drizzle with a drop of aged balsamic if desired |
| Castelvetrano Olives |
Drain brine; portion into small ceramic ramekin |
20 min before |
Rinse if too salty — they should be buttery, not briny |
| Calabrian Chili Peppers in Oil |
Drain; arrange in small ramekin or directly on board in a
tight cluster
|
15 min before |
The oil can be brushed on crostini for depth |
| Local Raw Honey |
Transfer to small honey pot with dipper; warm gently if
crystallized
|
30 min before |
Fairfield County wildflower honey preferred |
| Walnuts / Hazelnuts |
Toast in dry pan 4–5 min until fragrant; cool completely;
rough chop half
|
1 hour before |
Do not serve raw — toasting transforms flavor |
| Artisan Bread / Crostini |
Slice Wave Hill Breads sourdough 1cm thick; brush with olive
oil; toast in 375°F oven 10–12 min until golden
|
45–60 min before |
Cool to room temp before plating — steam softens texture
|
| Fresh Herbs (Rosemary, Thyme) |
Wash, dry thoroughly; separate into small sprigs for
decorative garnish
|
15 min before |
Lay flat on damp paper towel until plating |
| Serving Board |
Wipe clean with damp cloth; dry completely; if walnut, apply
light food-safe mineral oil buff
|
1 hour before |
A cold board affects cheese temping — keep at room temperature
|
Time on Task
T−48h
48 Hours Before — Shopping Day
Visit Darien Cheese and Wine for Caciocavallo Silano DOP and
Pecorino Crotonese Stravecchio. If not timed with an Eataly NYC
run, order 'Nduja Spilinga, Soppressata di Calabria DOP, and
Fichi Dottato di Cosenza DOP online (Eataly ships). Pickup
artisan bread from Wave Hill Breads (order 24h in advance).
Source honey at Greenwich Farmers Market (Saturdays) or Walter
Stewart's.
T−2h
2 Hours Before — Kitchen Prep Begins
Toast nuts; slice and toast crostini; portion olives and peppers
into ramekins; prepare honey pot; set up board and all serving
utensils (cheese knives, small spreaders, wooden picks).
T−45m
45 Minutes Before — Cheese Out of Refrigerator
Remove all cheeses from refrigeration. This step is
non-negotiable. Cheese served cold is cheese served incorrectly
— the fat molecules are contracted, volatiles suppressed,
texture muted. 45 minutes of room-temperature rest transforms
the board.
T−30m
30 Minutes Before — Salumi Out & Active Prep
Remove 'Nduja and Soppressata from refrigeration. Slice
Soppressata. Halve or arrange figs. Place 'Nduja in its ramekin.
Begin board composition layout (anchor points only — no final
arrangement yet).
T−20m
20 Minutes Before — Full Board Assembly
Execute final board composition (see Assembly Instructions
below). Add all garnish: herb sprigs, edible flowers if using,
whole peppercorns for visual texture, a drizzle of Calabrian
olive oil over the Caciocavallo wedge.
T−5m
5 Minutes Before Service — Final Check
Verify ramekins are full, honey pot is accessible, all cheese
knives are placed, crostini are arranged. Wipe board edges clean
with a dry cloth. Light any candles; dim overheads. The board is
ready.
T±0
Service — Present to Guests
Course 4 follows the pasta or fish course in a multi-course
Italian progression. Chef Robert introduces each element to
guests, noting origin, DOP status, and recommended pairings. A
brief, confident introduction elevates the board from "snacks"
to education and theatre.
Board Assembly Instructions
Professional board composition follows an intuitive principle:
anchor, flow, fill, finish. Begin with your largest
visual anchors — the whole Caciocavallo wedge and the Soppressata
roses — placing them in opposing quadrants of the board to create
visual balance. Next, position the Pecorino shards in a cluster near
the center-right. Place the 'Nduja ramekin at the upper left and the
honey pot at lower right, establishing diagonal tension. Now flow
the Fichi Dottato along the natural curves between anchors, creating
movement. Scatter Castelvetrano olives in small groupings of three
to five. Fill visible gaps with toasted walnuts, Calabrian pepper
ramekins, and crostini tucked at angles throughout. Finish by laying
fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs along the outer perimeter and a
final drizzle of Calabrian olive oil across the top third of the
board.
The golden rule of professional cheese boards:
no element should look placed — everything should look as though
it arrived naturally. Stiff symmetry reads as amateur. Controlled abundance reads as
masterful.
Wine & Beverage Pairing
For Il Tagliere Calabrese, Chef Robert recommends:
Cirò Rosso Classico Superiore (Calabria's native
Gaglioppo grape — earthy, structured, with a rustic spice that
mirrors the 'Nduja); alternatively a structured
Greco di Bianco passito (the Calabrian amber wine,
honeyed and complex, extraordinary with Fichi Dottato and
Caciocavallo). For guests preferring non-wine accompaniment, a
lightly sparkling Calabrian Chinotto soda or a well-pulled espresso
finishes the board course magnificently. Both can be sourced at
Darien Cheese and Wine or DeCicco & Sons.
Private Chef Robert
Experience Il Tagliere Calabrese at Your Table
"A board like this is not assembled — it is composed. The difference
between the two is everything."
— Private Chef Robert, Greenwich, CT
Private Chef Robert brings over two decades of fine dining experience
— honed in upscale restaurant kitchens and private estate service
across the United States and Europe — to the dining rooms, terraces,
and waterfront estates of Greenwich, Connecticut. His approach is
defined by unwavering commitment to provenance, an encyclopedic
knowledge of Italian regional cuisine, and a genuine belief that the
finest dining experiences in the world happen not in restaurants — but
at home, among people who matter.
Serving Greenwich, Darien, Westport, New Canaan, Stamford, and all of
Fairfield County — as well as select clients in Westchester County, NY
— Chef Robert is available for intimate dinner parties, milestone
celebrations, holiday table service, weekly family meal preparation,
and recurring private dining programs.
To discuss your next event and begin designing a menu as distinctive
as your home, contact Chef Robert directly.