Chef William Reitzel of Giusto restaurant in Newport sees the city’s culinary scene evolving beyond its traditional seafood fare.
“It’s definitely evolving,” Reitzel said. “I started in Newport about 15 years ago and to the point of where it is today is completely different. It’s not just this tourist destination for clam cakes and chowder and fried fish.”
Reitzel, along with three other Newport-area chefs, recently participated in a James Beard Foundation dinner in New York City. “It was truly humbling,” Reitzel said of the experience. “It’s a great group of guys that we got together for this event and really was able to showcase and focus on Newport and the community, the food community that has really been built up over the past 10 years and is evolving and growing every day.”
The chef noted that chefs and restaurateurs are “pushing to bring flavor to the forefront and really focus on the quality of the ingredients and the guest experience.”
At Giusto, Reitzel and his team change the menu monthly to reflect seasonal ingredients. “Come fall, we’ll participate in the Newport Food and Wine festival, start looking at fall ingredients and how to evolve the menu for the switching of the seasons and what the winter looks for us,” Reitzel said.
Reitzel mentioned Giusto’s involvement in the upcoming Track 15 project in Providence. “In the long term, we just want to keep growing and evolving as a member of the community and just continue to keep Giusto established,” Reitzel said. “We’re hoping that kind of expansion into the city and the heart of Rhode Island will keep our business going all year round.”
