A new chef has joined the table at Hotel Viking.
Two years ago, Chef Simone Ferrara earned accolades as one of Zagat’s 2015 “30 Under 30 – San Francisco” — a prestigious group Zagat dubbed the “next generation of food-and-drink greats.”
Now the accomplished young chef brings his culinary expertise to Newport, R.I. A native of Torino, Italy, Ferrara recently signed on as chef de cuisine at Hotel Viking. This isn’t Ferrara’s first venture in the City by the Sea. From 2010 to 2013, he was the executive sous chef at Newport’s Pasta Beach, an offshoot of a Boston restaurant by the same name.
In 2015, Ferrara told Zagat his culinary style is a reflection of his heritage: olive growing and pasta making on his grandfather’s side and French influence on his mother’s side. He travels frequently to Italy to reconnect with his culinary roots and pick up new ideas to incorporate into his stateside interests.
Prior to joining Hotel Viking, Ferrara was the kitchen manager at San Francisco’s 2-Michelin-starred Acquerello Restaurant. Previously, he was chef de cuisine at Desco in Oakland, California. He earned a degree in culinary arts in his home town Torino and studied haute cuisine and molecular techniques at Harvard University.
Ferrara and his wife, Brianna, are the parents of an 8-month-old baby boy. Their return to Newport is a homecoming for Brianna who grew up in the city.