Fine Dining · Private Chef Services · Greenwich, Connecticut
Artisanal Cuisine. Intimate Experiences. Exceptional Hospitality.
Curated Cheeses & Cured Meats of Lazio
A sublime fourth course inspired by the ancient table of Rome — artisanal wheels of Pecorino, velvety ribbons of Prosciutto, amber wildflower honey, and toasted walnuts, thoughtfully composed and served with care by Private Chef Robert in the comfort of your Greenwich, CT home.
Why Hire a Private Chef
Private Chef Robert crafts bespoke, fine-dining menus tailored to your palate, dietary requirements, and occasion — from intimate dinners for two to lavish dinner parties in your Back Country estate. Every dish is composed with the precision of a Michelin-caliber kitchen, yet served in the warmth and privacy of your own home. No reservations, no dress code, no compromise — pure culinary artistry, on your terms, in Greenwich, CT.
From sourcing the finest seasonal ingredients at Greenwich's local farms and Fairfield County specialty markets to plating, service, and complete kitchen cleanup, Private Chef Robert manages every detail. You reclaim your time and arrive at your own table as a guest. Whether it's a weeknight family dinner or a landmark celebration, effortless luxury means you are always present — never stressed, never behind — while extraordinary food and gracious hospitality unfold around you.
A Brief History
Greenwich, Connecticut — incorporated in 1665 — stands as one of New England's most storied and prosperous communities. Nestled along the Long Island Sound, it was originally settled by the Lenape people before Dutch and English colonists established trading posts along the Mianus River. Greenwich's fertile land and protected harbor made it a thriving agricultural and maritime hub throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.
Fairfield County, established in 1666, emerged as Connecticut's economic and cultural heartland. Its proximity to New York City — just 28 miles from midtown Manhattan — transformed Greenwich into a prestigious residential enclave in the 19th and 20th centuries. Gilded Age estates, hedge fund headquarters, and renowned cultural institutions define its character today.
Greenwich is home to world-class restaurants, celebrated farmers' markets, and a discerning food culture that embraces both global sophistication and New England heritage. With neighborhoods from Riverside and Cos Cob to Old Greenwich and the exclusive Back Country, it remains one of America's most distinguished addresses — the ideal canvas for Private Chef Robert's culinary artistry.
The Fourth Course
In the classical Italian dining tradition, the cheese and cured meat course — Formaggi e Salumi — occupies a place of profound elegance between the secondi (main courses) and the dolci (desserts). It is a moment of pause, contemplation, and convivial pleasure; a transition that invites guests to slow down, refill their wine, and engage in the kind of unhurried conversation that marks truly great hospitality. Private Chef Robert's Il Piatto Romano brings this time-honored Roman tradition to the tables of Greenwich, CT, composed with the finest cheeses and cured meats of the Lazio region, dressed with wildflower honey and roasted walnuts.
The name Il Piatto Romano — "The Roman Plate" — is both a geographical and philosophical declaration. Lazio, the region surrounding Rome, is one of Italy's most distinctive culinary territories. It gave the world Pecorino Romano, one of antiquity's oldest recorded cheeses, dating back more than 2,000 years to the Roman legions who rationed it as a daily staple. It is the homeland of Guanciale, the cured pork cheek essential to Carbonara and Amatriciana. And it is a region where the culture of the salumiere — the master of preserved meats — is passed from generation to generation with the gravity of fine art.
"To build a great cheese and charcuterie board is to curate a
conversation between makers, terroir, and time. Every element speaks
of a place, a tradition, and a craftsman's pride."
— Private
Chef Robert
Pecorino Romano DOP anchors the board. Dense, crystalline, and assertive, this sheep's milk cheese possesses a bold, salty character that has fueled Roman civilization since antiquity. A Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) product, Pecorino Romano must be produced within defined areas of Lazio, Sardinia, and Tuscany according to centuries-old methods. Its sharp, pleasantly pungent bite demands pairing with the sweetness of wildflower honey — a combination Private Chef Robert elevates by sourcing local Connecticut wildflower honey from farms in Greenwich and the surrounding Fairfield County countryside.
Ricotta Salata offers a beautiful textural contrast — pale, milky, and gently salty, pressed and salted to create a sliceable, crumbleable form of Italy's most beloved fresh cheese. Its mild, clean flavor acts as a palate cleanser between bolder elements. Caciotta Romana, semi-soft and buttery with a delicate grassy sweetness born of the rolling pastures of the Roman Campagna, completes the cheese selection — offering approachability and nuance alongside the boldness of Pecorino.
No board bearing the name Romano would be complete without Guanciale — cured pork cheek, the cornerstone of Roman cucina. Unlike pancetta, Guanciale carries a richer, more complex fat profile that melts at room temperature into silken, translucent ribbons. Sliced paper thin and draped across the board, it dissolves on the palate with a depth of flavor both primal and refined.
Prosciutto di Parma DOP, while technically from Emilia-Romagna, has become canonical on any serious Italian board and is eagerly embraced by Roman tables for its sweet, delicate succulence. Its pale rose color and gossamer texture provide visual elegance and a sweetness that balances the board's saltier elements. Coppa (or Capicola) — cured neck and shoulder, marbled with flavor — introduces a peppery, savory middle note. Soppressata Piccante brings pleasurable heat: a firm, spiced salame with fennel seed and chili notes that punctuate the palate and call for another sip of Frascati or Barolo.
Of all the accompaniments on Il Piatto Romano, wildflower honey is perhaps the most transformative. A drizzle across aged Pecorino does not merely add sweetness — it creates alchemy. The floral complexity of genuine wildflower honey, drawn from Connecticut's remarkable diversity of blossoms including clover, black locust, goldenrod, and wildflower meadows throughout Fairfield County, bridges the gap between the sharp, crystalline cheese and the rich, fatty salumi. Private Chef Robert sources local wildflower honey from Greenwich-area beekeepers and farms in Wilton, Westport, and the Litchfield Hills, ensuring a product of true terroir that honors both the Italian tradition and the Connecticut landscape.
Connecticut's honey is extraordinary — the state's agricultural patchwork, from coastal meadows to inland woodlands, produces a wildflower honey that is complex, lightly fruity, and gently aromatic. When drizzled over Pecorino Romano and pooled beside a curl of Guanciale, it creates one of the most eloquent flavor combinations in the Italian culinary canon: salt, fat, sweet, and earthy in perfect proportion.
Toasted walnuts complete the quartet of primary elements. Their gentle bitterness — from the tannins in the skin — provides essential contrast against the sweetness of honey and the richness of cured meats. Their buttery crunch introduces a textural dimension that neither cheese nor meat can replicate. When toasted lightly in a dry pan until fragrant and golden, walnuts develop a nuttiness that harmonizes beautifully with aged Pecorino and the floral notes of wildflower honey.
Walnuts have been cultivated in the Mediterranean basin since ancient times — the Romans prized them, scattering them at weddings as symbols of prosperity and fertility. On Private Chef Robert's board, they serve as both culinary and symbolic link between the Roman table of antiquity and the contemporary fine dining room of Greenwich, Connecticut.
Private Chef Robert approaches the composition of Il Piatto Romano as a trained visual artist as well as a culinary professional. The board itself — ideally a weathered marble slab, a seasoned walnut cutting board, or an antique ceramic platter — establishes the palette. Cheeses are placed first, establishing anchors: the dense wedge of Pecorino to the lower left, the crumbled mound of Ricotta Salata center-right, and the sliced Caciotta Romana fanned elegantly between them.
Cured meats are then draped, folded, and rosette-formed in the spaces between: Prosciutto in broad, luminous sheets; Coppa in tight, burnished coils; Soppressata in overlapping rounds; Guanciale in thin, translucent cascades. Small ramekins or hollowed fig halves hold the wildflower honey — never poured directly until service, to preserve the visual integrity of the board and allow each guest to determine their preferred ratio of sweet to savory.
Toasted walnuts are scattered with deliberate looseness, as though they have tumbled naturally to their positions. Dried Calimyrna figs, fresh grapes, and Castelvetrano olives add color, freshness, and a briny counterpoint. Fresh rosemary sprigs provide both garnish and subtle aromatic presence. Grissini — thin, hand-rolled Italian breadsticks — stand upright in a ceramic vessel or fan across the board's perimeter, providing a vehicle for the cheese that preserves the integrity of each element.
The ideal wine companion for Il Piatto Romano should honor the Lazio heritage of the dish. Frascati Superiore DOCG — the classic white wine of the Castelli Romani hills outside Rome — is the regional match: its minerality, gentle oxidative character, and slight almond finish are born of the same volcanic tufa soils that produced Roman sheep for Pecorino. For a red pairing, Cesanese del Piglio DOCG — a structured, cherry-toned red from the Lazio hills — provides elegance and sufficient tannin to stand beside the richness of Guanciale and Coppa. For guests seeking something more familiar, a well-chosen Chianti Classico Riserva or a glass of Barolo would both serve magnificently alongside this board.
Private Chef Robert is pleased to advise on wine selection and, where desired, to coordinate with Greenwich's excellent wine merchants — including Mclaughlin Vineyards, Wine Market in Greenwich, and Fairfield County's celebrated bottle shops — to ensure a perfectly matched selection for your private dining experience.
Sourced Locally
Private Chef Robert is committed to supporting the rich agricultural and artisanal food community of Greenwich and Fairfield County, CT. Whenever possible, locally sourced products are incorporated into every course — marrying the Roman tradition of Il Piatto Romano with the exceptional local terroir of coastal Connecticut. Below are key local producers and sources whose products complement or directly relate to the Formaggi e Salumi board.
Honey
Local beekeepers in Wilton, Westport, and Ridgefield produce extraordinary multi-floral wildflower honey from goldenrod, black locust, and clover — essential for drizzling over Pecorino Romano.
Nuts & Produce
Jones Farm (Shelton), Silverman's Farm (Easton), and Honey Pot Hill offer seasonal walnuts, fresh figs, grapes, and artisanal accompaniments for the board.
Specialty Cheese
An exceptional cheesemonger in Westport, CT offering imported DOP Italian cheeses including Pecorino Romano, Ricotta Salata, and Caciotta alongside domestic artisan selections.
Charcuterie & Salumi
Connecticut's celebrated Italian delis and specialty shops carry authentic DOP Prosciutto di Parma, Guanciale, Coppa, and Soppressata Piccante for the Lazio-style board.
Bread & Grissini
Chef Debra Ponzek's beloved Greenwich bakery and specialty market offers hand-crafted artisan breads, grissini, and charcuterie accompaniments ideal for this course.
Olive Oil & Pantry
Premium Italian pantry staples — imported olive oils, Castelvetrano olives, dried fruits, and artisan condiments — are available at Greenwich's finest specialty grocers.
Wine
Located in Sandy Hook, CT, McLaughlin Vineyards is one of Connecticut's oldest wineries, producing estate wines that pair beautifully alongside an Italian cheese board experience.
Farmers Market
Held at Greenwich Point and Arch Street, the seasonal Greenwich Farmers Market brings together local honey producers, cheese makers, and specialty food vendors each week.
Dried Fruits & Nuts
The Greenwich Whole Foods offers premium bulk walnuts, dried Calimyrna figs, Medjool dates, and specialty accompaniments that round out the Roman cheese board.
"Greenwich's food community is world-class — local honey, seasonal
produce, and imported Italian specialties all within reach. Sourcing
locally is not just an ethical choice; it is the superior culinary
choice."
— Private Chef Robert
Fairfield County has long been home to some of the most discerning food enthusiasts in the northeastern United States. Its proximity to New York City has cultivated a food culture that demands both cosmopolitan sophistication and authentic local character. From the celebrated restaurant scene of Westport and the refined dining rooms of Greenwich's Field Club neighborhood to the organic farm stands of Newtown and the artisan cheesemakers of Litchfield County, this region offers a food landscape of extraordinary breadth.
Private Chef Robert draws on this richness consistently. When composing Il Piatto Romano, he does not merely reach for imported Italian products — he seeks the Connecticut equivalent, the local honey that mirrors the floral complexity of the Roman Campagna, the walnut from a Fairfield County orchard that echoes the ancient trees of Lazio's hillsides. This philosophy — rooted in terroir and respect for local producers — is what elevates Private Chef Robert's boards from mere cheese platters to genuine culinary experiences.
Greenwich, CT is a community that appreciates the finer details. Its residents have traveled extensively, dined at the world's great tables, and return home with refined palates and high expectations. When Private Chef Robert presents Il Piatto Romano as a fourth course at a private dinner in a Greenwich estate, he is not introducing something unfamiliar — he is honoring a tradition his guests already love, and elevating it through personal attention, superior sourcing, and the unique pleasure of having it created exclusively for them in their own home.
The cheese and charcuterie board, far from being a casual, informal affair, is in the hands of a skilled private chef a composition of extraordinary intentionality. Every element — the angle at which the Prosciutto is folded, the temperature at which the Pecorino is served, the specific local wildflower honey chosen, the year and producer of the wine poured alongside — reflects hours of planning, deep culinary knowledge, and genuine passion for the craft. This is what Private Chef Robert brings to every table in Greenwich, CT.
The Recipe
The following recipe — complete with Mise en Place preparation guide, Time on Task breakdown, and step-by-step plating instructions — is provided by Private Chef Robert as a demonstration of the craft and intentionality behind a great fourth-course cheese and charcuterie board. For a truly extraordinary experience, book Private Chef Robert to compose this course — and your entire tasting menu — in your Greenwich, CT home.
Complete Preparation Checklist — Everything in its Place Before Service
Chef's Note: The genius of Il Piatto Romano is its simplicity and restraint. Resist the temptation to overcrowd the board. Every element should be visible, accessible, and clearly identifiable. The board should invite exploration, not overwhelm. Temperature is essential — serve cheeses at or near room temperature, never cold from the refrigerator.
Shopping Guide
Organized by category for efficient shopping at Greenwich, CT specialty grocers, Whole Foods, Aux Délices, or your preferred Fairfield County Italian market. Quantities serve 6–8 guests as a fourth course.
From intimate dinners for two to grand tasting menus for twenty, Private Chef Robert brings the finest Italian and international fine dining to your home in Greenwich, CT and throughout Fairfield County. Every menu is bespoke, every ingredient thoughtfully sourced, and every detail handled with the highest level of professional hospitality.