Greenwich • Westport • Fairfield County, CT

Private Chef Services for the
Discerning Greenwich Home

Five-star dining, sourced locally, served in the warmth of your own home — exactly as it should be.

Reserve Your Date
Sense of Place

Fairfield County, CT — Where Culture Meets the Coast

Few places in America carry their story as gracefully as Fairfield County. Stretching along the northern curve of Long Island Sound, this narrow sweep of Connecticut shoreline has spent three centuries quietly accumulating culture, craft, and table. Greenwich drew financiers and artists alike; Westport lured novelists and musicians who wanted both inspiration and a good dinner. Darien, New Canaan, Wilton, and Ridgefield added their own notes — old-money reserve and independent creative spirit stirred together in the salt air.

The Sound itself has always fed this community. Local watermen once pulled bluepoint oysters and striped bass from waters just beyond the back lawn; today, the Sound's culinary legacy lives in the area's fierce loyalty to fresh, responsibly harvested seafood. Westport's Saturday markets draw chefs and home cooks with equal devotion. Greenwich restaurants have long rivaled Manhattan's best, and the residents who live between those two poles tend to eat — and entertain — with genuine intention. This is a community with a palate: curious, seasoned, and impossible to impress with anything less than excellent.

Why Private Chef Robert

What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Private Chef in Greenwich, CT?

#1 — Your Home Becomes the Restaurant

When Private Chef Robert steps into your Greenwich kitchen, the entire dynamic shifts. This isn't catering — there are no chafing dishes, no generic menus printed in bulk, and no handoff at the door. Chef Robert designs each menu around your household: your preferences, your dietary needs, the particular guests arriving on Saturday evening. He sources from Fjord Fish Market in Greenwich for pristine day-boat fish, and drives to Stew Leonard's in Norwalk when the season calls for peak-of-harvest produce. Every component is intentional, every detail considered before you've opened the first bottle of wine.

Where Chef Robert Shops: Fjord Fish Market (Greenwich) for premium local seafood • Stew Leonard's (Norwalk) for farm-fresh produce • DeCicco & Sons for Italian specialty imports

A catering company sends a team trained to execute volume. Chef Robert comes to create a singular experience — for your guests, on your timeline, in your space. You walk into the dining room poised and present; he handles every detail from mise en place to the last garnish, and leaves your kitchen cleaner than he found it.

#2 — Time Reclaimed, Memories Made

The greatest luxury in Fairfield County isn't real estate — it's an unhurried evening with the people who matter most. When you hire Private Chef Robert, you reclaim the hours typically spent planning, shopping, prepping, cooking, and managing cleanup. You spend that time exactly where you belong: present at the table, genuinely engaged, tasting something remarkable. Guests leave impressed; you leave nourished. That is the emotional return on investment no caterer's proposal ever puts into writing.

Ready to taste what that feels like? Chef Robert's featured recipe below — Lemon Ginger Chili Glazed Mahi Mahi for ten — is one of his signature dinner party dishes. Read through it and imagine the table you could set.

Featured Recipe — Serves 10

Lemon Ginger Chili Glazed Mahi Mahi

Asian-French Fusion  •  Seafood Entrée  •  Elegant Dinner Party

Mahi Mahi is a fish that rewards confidence — sear it hard, glaze it generously, and let the lemon and ginger do the talking. I love bringing this dish to Greenwich tables in late spring and early summer, when the days are long and the guests want something bright and a little unexpected. The chili lifts everything without heat for its own sake, and the whole plate comes together in a way that feels effortless, even though it isn't.

— Chef Robert

3a. Mise en Place — Three Prep Stations

Organize your kitchen into three clearly defined work zones before you turn on a single burner. Professional efficiency begins here.

❄️ Cold Prep Station

  • 10 Mahi Mahi fillets (6–7 oz each, skin-off, patted dry)
  • 3 lemons — zest all three, juice all three
  • 3-inch knob fresh ginger — peeled, finely grated
  • 2 fresh red chilies — seeded, minced (or 2 tbsp sambal oelek)
  • 4 cloves garlic — minced fine
  • 2 limes — sliced thin for garnish
  • 1 cup microgreens — rinsed and dried
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 tbsp chives — finely sliced on bias
  • 2 tbsp black sesame seeds & white sesame seeds (mixed)

🧂 Pantry & Sauce Station

  • ¼ cup raw honey
  • ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • ¼ cup neutral oil (grapeseed or avocado)
  • Kosher salt — small bowl, pinch ready
  • White pepper — freshly ground
  • Medium mixing bowl for glaze
  • Small whisk
  • Two labeled squeeze bottles (glaze / herb oil)

🔥 Cooking Station

  • 2 large stainless-steel or cast-iron skillets (12-inch minimum)
  • Splatter guard
  • Instant-read thermometer (target: 137°F internal)
  • Fish spatula (thin, flexible blade)
  • Basting brush — silicone
  • Timer set for two stages (4 min sear / 3 min glaze)
  • 10 warmed dinner plates staged and ready
  • Kitchen towels — damp and dry

3b. Full Ingredients List — Serves 10

Ingredient Quantity Preparation
— The Fish —
Mahi Mahi fillets, skin-off 10 fillets (6–7 oz each) Patted completely dry with paper towels
— The Glaze —
Fresh lemon, zested and juiced 3 whole lemons Zest first, then juice; keep separate
Fresh ginger root 3 tbsp (approx 3-inch knob) Peeled, finely grated on microplane
Sambal oelek or fresh red chili 2 tbsp Minced fine if using fresh
Raw honey ¼ cup Measured at room temperature
Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari ¼ cup Tamari for gluten-free option
Rice wine vinegar 2 tbsp Unseasoned
Toasted sesame oil 2 tbsp Added last to preserve aromatics
Garlic cloves 4 cloves Minced or pressed
— Cooking & Seasoning —
Neutral oil (grapeseed or avocado) ¼ cup Divided across two pans
Kosher salt To taste Generous — fish can take it
White pepper, freshly ground To taste Milder than black; keeps the glaze clean
— Garnish & Plating —
Microgreens (pea shoots or radish) 1 cup, loosely packed Rinsed, dried, seasoned with a drop of sesame oil at service
Fresh cilantro leaves ¼ cup Picked, stems removed
Chives 2 tbsp Sliced thin on a 45° bias
Sesame seeds (black & white mixed) 2 tbsp Lightly toasted
Lime, sliced thin 2 limes (10 slices) One per plate, half-moon or pinwheel
— Service & Accompaniment —
Fish spatula (wide, flexible) 2 One per skillet
Warmed dinner plates 10 Held in a low oven (170°F) or warming drawer

3c. Method — Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Build the glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, grated ginger, sambal oelek, honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and minced garlic until the honey is fully incorporated and the glaze is glossy. Taste it — it should be bright, sweet, spicy, and slightly salty with a clean ginger finish. Adjust honey or lemon as needed. Pour one-third of the glaze into a separate small bowl or squeeze bottle and set aside; this will be your finishing sauce at plating.
  2. Prep and season the fish. Remove your Mahi Mahi fillets from the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking — cold fish hitting a hot pan produces uneven results and steam instead of a sear. Pat each fillet bone-dry on both sides using paper towels. Season liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper on both sides. The fish should look matte and dry, not shiny. Set aside on a clean sheet tray.
  3. Preheat the pans. Place two large stainless-steel or cast-iron skillets over high heat for a full 2 minutes. You want the surface genuinely hot before oil touches it. Add 2 tablespoons of neutral oil to each pan and tilt to coat the surface evenly. The oil should shimmer immediately — if it smokes, you're exactly where you need to be.
  4. Sear, presentation-side down. Working quickly, lay five fillets per pan, presentation-side (the smooth, more attractive side) down, away from you to prevent splashing. Do not move them. Resist. The fish will release naturally when it has built its crust — approximately 3 to 4 minutes over high heat. You'll see the flesh turning opaque about halfway up the fillet. The edges will color first, then the center will follow. Trust the process.
  5. Flip and glaze. Using a thin fish spatula, gently flip each fillet. Reduce heat to medium. Immediately brush each fillet generously with the glaze from the main bowl, coating the seared surface completely. Allow to cook for 2 minutes. Brush with a second coat of glaze and cook for another 60–90 seconds. The glaze will thicken slightly and lacquer onto the fish. The internal temperature at the thickest point should read 137°F on your instant-read thermometer. The flesh will be opaque throughout with a slight translucency at the very center — that's perfection.
  6. Rest the fish. Transfer fillets to a clean, lightly oiled sheet tray. Allow to rest for 2 full minutes before plating. This rest redistributes the juices and allows the glaze to set so it doesn't run across the plate on first cut.
  7. Plate with intention. Retrieve your warmed dinner plates from the oven. Lightly dress the microgreens with a single drop of toasted sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Place one fillet, presentation-side up and slightly angled, off-center on each plate. Spoon or squeeze a ribbon of the reserved finishing glaze over the fish — don't drown it, let it trail off one edge. Scatter the microgreens alongside. Add three cilantro leaves, a pinch of bias-cut chives, a small mound of mixed sesame seeds over the fillet, and finish with a clean lime slice resting against the fish. Step back. That is a dinner party plate.

3d. Time on Task

Stage Time Notes
Mise en Place & Cold Prep 25 minutes Zest, juice, grate, mince, slice garnishes
Glaze Assembly 8 minutes Whisk, taste, adjust, portion
Fish Tempering 20 minutes Passive — remove from refrigerator early
Active Sear & Glaze 10–12 minutes Two pans in tandem; high then medium heat
Rest & Plating 8 minutes Plating for 10; work from the center out
Total Time — Fridge to Table ~75 minutes Including 20-minute passive temper
Chef Robert's Sourcing Note: For this dish, Mahi Mahi from Fulton Fish Market (available for direct order and overnight delivery) or Fjord Fish Market in Greenwich provides the quality of fish this recipe requires. At this level of dinner party, the fish is the centerpiece — don't compromise on the sourcing.
Lemon Ginger Chili Mahi Mahi — Serves 10

Complete Grocery Shopping List

🐟 Seafood

  • Mahi Mahi fillets, skin-off — 10 fillets, 6–7 oz each (approx 4.5 lbs total)
Source: Fulton Fish Market (direct order / overnight delivery) or Fjord Fish Market, Greenwich, CT. Request fillets cut to portion, skin removed, and pin-boned. Ask for day-boat or fresh, never previously frozen if available.

🥬 Produce

  • Lemons — 4 (3 for recipe, 1 spare)
  • Limes — 3 (2 for garnish, 1 spare)
  • Fresh ginger root — 1 large knob (4+ inches)
  • Fresh red chilies — 3 (Thai bird or Fresno)
  • Garlic — 1 head (need 4 cloves)
  • Microgreens (pea shoots or radish) — 2 oz container
  • Fresh cilantro — 1 bunch
  • Fresh chives — 1 small bunch
Source: Stew Leonard's, Norwalk, CT — superb seasonal produce and locally grown herbs. Check the herb wall for potted chives and cilantro if you prefer cut-to-order freshness.

🫙 Pantry & Dry Goods

  • Low-sodium soy sauce or tamari — 1 bottle (10 oz minimum)
  • Sambal oelek chili paste — 1 jar (8 oz)
  • Rice wine vinegar, unseasoned — 1 bottle
  • Raw honey — 1 jar (8 oz minimum)
  • Toasted sesame oil — 1 bottle (4 oz)
  • Grapeseed oil or avocado oil — 1 bottle (16 oz)
  • Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal preferred) — 1 box
  • White peppercorns — 1 small jar (for grinding)
  • Black sesame seeds — 1 small bag (2 oz)
  • White sesame seeds — 1 small bag (2 oz)

🧀 Dairy & Cheese

  • (No dairy in this recipe)
  • If pairing with a side: unsalted butter — 4 oz for finishing vegetables or risotto accompaniment
  • Heavy cream — 4 oz if serving alongside a cream-based purée

⭐ Specialty & Imports

  • Premium tamari (aged, Japanese-style) — for a refined umami depth in the glaze
  • Manuka or raw wildflower honey — higher quality honey creates a more complex glaze
  • Premium toasted sesame oil — look for 100% pure, cold-pressed
  • Aged rice wine vinegar — Marukan Gold Label or equivalent
Source: DeCicco & Sons (CT locations) carries imported specialty condiments, quality vinegars, and premium oils. For direct-order premium proteins, Pat La Frieda Meats (NYC / nationwide delivery) offers top-tier sourcing relationships and can be consulted for premium fish alongside their celebrated meat program.

🌿 Fresh Herbs Summary

  • Cilantro — 1 bunch (leaves only at service)
  • Chives — 1 small bunch (bias-cut)
  • Optional: fresh Thai basil — 1 small bunch for a fragrant accent
  • Optional: fresh mint — small bunch if serving with a cucumber side
Source: Terrain Garden Centre, Westport, CT carries living potted herbs in season — ideal for cutting fresh at service. A potted chive plant on the counter elevates the presentation and saves money over pre-cut bunches.

🍳 Equipment & Utensils Needed

  • 2 large (12-inch) stainless-steel or cast-iron skillets
  • Microplane zester / grater
  • Instant-read thermometer
  • Fish spatula (wide, flexible blade) — 2
  • Silicone basting brush
  • Medium mixing bowl for glaze
  • Small whisk
  • Squeeze bottles (2) for sauce portioning
  • Half-sheet tray for fish staging and resting
  • 10 warmed dinner plates (held in low oven)
  • Splatter guard or screen
  • Kitchen timer or phone timer — set for two intervals
  • Cutting board (designated for fish only)
  • Paper towels — substantial stack for drying fish
Private Chef Services — Greenwich & Fairfield County

Imagine the Table You Could Set.

Your guests are seated. The candlelight is steady. From the kitchen — a kitchen you haven't had to think about since the morning — something extraordinary is being plated. That is what life looks like when Private Chef Robert is in your home.

Chef Robert brings complete, bespoke culinary services to Greenwich, Westport, Darien, New Canaan, and across Fairfield County. Whether you need a weekly personal chef for your family, an intimate dinner party for twelve, a holiday gathering that sets a new standard, a corporate entertaining event that leaves a lasting impression, or simply a Wednesday night that feels like a celebration — he builds the experience around you.

From sourcing at Fulton Fish Market and Fjord Fish Market to plating the final garnish, Private Chef Robert handles every detail with the precision and warmth of someone who loves both cooking and the people it brings together. No templates. No shortcuts. No compromise on quality.

Reserve Your Date — Contact Chef Robert Today
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions About Private Chef Services in Greenwich, CT

What Does a Private Chef in Greenwich, CT Actually Do?

A private chef in Greenwich, CT designs and prepares personalized meals in your home. Services include custom menu planning, local ingredient sourcing, full meal preparation, kitchen cleanup, and service for events ranging from intimate family dinners to formal dinner parties. Private Chef Robert handles every detail from mise en place through the final plated course, leaving you free to be fully present with your guests. Unlike a caterer, a private chef works exclusively in your space, for your occasion, with no generic menus or bulk production.

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Chef in Fairfield County, CT?

Personal chef costs in Fairfield County, CT vary based on the type of service, number of guests, menu complexity, and sourcing requirements. A weekly meal-prep service typically differs in structure from a full dinner party experience with premium ingredients and full service. For accurate, transparent pricing tailored to your specific needs, contact Private Chef Robert directly at Robert@RobertLGorman.com or 602-370-5255. He'll provide a custom proposal built around your household and occasion — no generic packages.

What Is the Difference Between a Private Chef and a Caterer in Greenwich?

A private chef works exclusively in your home, designing custom menus for your specific guests and occasion, sourcing premium ingredients personally, and executing every course with hands-on culinary expertise. A caterer typically prepares food in a commercial kitchen and delivers or serves it in volume from predetermined menus. Private Chef Robert cooks in your kitchen, stays through service, handles cleanup, and brings the intimacy and precision of a fine-dining kitchen directly into your home.

Can a Private Chef Accommodate Dietary Restrictions and Allergies in Greenwich?

Yes — accommodating dietary restrictions and allergies is one of the primary advantages of hiring a private chef over a catering company. Private Chef Robert works directly with each client before every event to understand all allergies, intolerances, and dietary preferences among guests. Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan, and other specific needs are addressed at the menu design stage, never as afterthoughts. Every dish is prepared fresh in your kitchen, eliminating the cross-contamination risks common in commercial catering environments.

How Do I Hire Private Chef Robert for a Dinner Party in Greenwich, CT?

Hiring Private Chef Robert for a dinner party in Greenwich, CT begins with a simple conversation. Reach out by email at Robert@RobertLGorman.com, call 602-370-5255, or visit www.Greenwich-Chef.com to inquire about your date. Chef Robert will discuss your guest count, occasion, any dietary needs, and your vision for the evening. He'll propose a custom menu and provide transparent pricing before anything is confirmed. Most clients book two to four weeks in advance, though availability varies — reserve early for holiday and peak spring/summer dates.

The Chef

About Private Chef Robert

RG
Private Chef
Greenwich, CT

Private Chef Robert Gorman brings to every Fairfield County table a culinary education shaped by two of America's most food-obsessed coastlines. In Seattle, he cooked through a defining period in the Pacific Northwest's dining scene — working alongside the Rusty Pelican, the Rainier Grill at the foot of Mount Rainier, and kitchens that drew deeply from Pike Place Market, the Lake Chelan wine country, and the region's legendary salmon and Dungeness crab heritage. He learned early that great food begins with genuine place and season.

That same philosophy traveled with him to Greenwich. Chef Robert's connection to Fairfield County runs deeper than a service address — he understands the discernment of his clients, the rhythms of the local market calendar, and the quiet standard that comes with cooking for people who have eaten very well and know the difference. His approach is seasonal, locally sourced where it matters, and always personal.

He is available for weekly meal preparation, private dinner parties, holiday events, and corporate entertaining throughout Greenwich, Westport, and Fairfield County. Contact Chef Robert at Robert@RobertLGorman.com or 602-370-5255.

Event Formats

Styles of Service for Private Chef Events

The right service format shapes the entire arc of an evening. Chef Robert works with you to select the style that best fits your occasion, guest count, and the tone you want to set.

Plated Dinner Service

The formal, restaurant-style experience. Each course is individually plated and served to seated guests in sequence. Ideal for intimate dinner parties of 6–16 where presentation and pacing are central to the occasion. Every plate leaves the kitchen looking like a destination.

Family-Style Service

Generous platters and bowls of beautifully prepared dishes are brought to the table for guests to share. Warmly social and abundant — a perfect format for multigenerational family gatherings, holiday dinners, and relaxed celebrations where the table itself becomes the centerpiece.

Buffet & Station Service

Curated stations are set up for larger gatherings — cocktail parties, corporate receptions, and milestone events. Chef Robert designs each station with the same care as a plated course: thoughtful pairings, elegant presentation, and seamless flow for guests moving through the space.

Cocktail Party & Passed Hors d'Oeuvres

A refined collection of one- and two-bite compositions — designed to be as visually striking as they are delicious — circulated throughout the room. This format works beautifully for pre-dinner receptions, standalone cocktail events, and gallery or art openings in private homes.

Weekly Meal Prep Service

Chef Robert visits your home on a scheduled day to plan, shop, prepare, and stock your refrigerator with a full week's worth of nourishing, chef-quality meals for your family. Lunch, dinner, snacks, and sauces — portioned, labeled, and ready. This is how the Fairfield County family eats well every night, not just on special occasions.

Holiday & Seasonal Events

Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Passover Seder, Easter Sunday, New Year's Eve — holidays deserve a meal that commands the room. Chef Robert designs full holiday menus that honor tradition while elevating every course, so the host can be fully present with family rather than anchored to the oven.

The Art of the Table

Tableware, Dishware, Silverware & Servingware

Great cooking deserves a table set with equal intention. Chef Robert can advise on service ware coordination and, for clients who wish to expand their entertaining collections, recommends the following categories as foundational investments.

Dinner & Entrée Plates

A 12-inch rimmed dinner plate in a classic white or off-white glaze is the private chef's canvas. The broad rim frames the plating and provides negative space that signals fine dining. Bone china or high-fire porcelain holds heat better than earthenware — critical when courses are timed precisely.

Flatware & Silverware

Weighted flatware — 18/10 stainless steel minimum, sterling silver for formal occasions — signals quality the moment a guest picks it up. A five-piece place setting per guest (salad fork, dinner fork, dinner knife, soup spoon, teaspoon) covers the essentials for a three- or four-course dinner. Fish knives and fish forks elevate a seafood course dramatically.

Glassware

Stemless white wine and red wine glasses suit casual dinner parties; stem-on Burgundy glasses and Bordeaux glasses suit formal dining. A large-bowled wine glass does double duty for both varieties in relaxed settings. Water glasses, champagne flutes for the welcome toast, and dessert wine glasses round out a complete table.

Servingware & Platters

For family-style and buffet service, oval porcelain platters in two sizes — a 14-inch and an 18-inch — handle almost any protein or side. Wide, shallow serving bowls work beautifully for pasta, grain dishes, and roasted vegetables. A matching gravy boat and two or three ramekins for condiments complete a polished buffet table.

Linens & Table Accents

Pressed cotton or linen napkins in ivory, white, or deep charcoal communicate elegance without competing with the food. A smooth, uncluttered tablecloth in natural linen or white damask serves as the right foundation for any occasion. A low floral centerpiece — never so tall it blocks conversation — and two taper candles complete the Greenwich dinner party table.

Chef Robert's Sourcing Note

For clients building or refreshing a tableware collection in the Fairfield County area, Crate & Barrel in Westport offers accessible, high-quality everyday entertaining pieces. For investment-grade tableware, Williams-Sonoma and specialty home stores in Greenwich carry fine bone china, silverware, and crystal glassware. Chef Robert is happy to advise on what your specific entertaining style and guest count actually requires.