The Jamestown restaurant Beech has partnered with James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schlow, who will join as chef and managing partner to oversee operations, the restaurant announced.
The Conanicut Restaurant Group, comprised of Jamestown residents, brought on Schlow, a longtime friend, who will introduce a new menu beginning May 27. While remaining true to the restaurant’s local roots, the new menu centers on American fare with Mediterranean influences, highlighting local ingredients whenever possible.
Schlow has assembled a culinary team that includes the return of Jamestown native Eric Warren as executive chef. Warren was in the kitchen at Beech when it opened in 2022.
In addition to the culinary updates, the restaurant has made several enhancements to its space, most notably the addition of covered seating in the third-floor Treehouse Bar and dining area. Located at 13 Narragansett Ave., Beech sits just steps from Jamestown Harbor with views of the Newport Bridge.
Menu highlights include tuna tartare with cucumbers, caviar and spicy ponzu; mussels “meuniere”; a celery salad with baby arugula, red onion, lemon and shaved Parmigiano; steak frites with bistro sauce, sautéed spinach and fries; homemade chitarra with spicy lobster and shrimp diavola; and chicken Milanese. The wine list features selections by the glass and bottle with a focus on the U.S., France, Italy, Argentina and Spain, while the cocktail list highlights classics and the restaurant’s own takes on them.
Schlow, who makes his home in Boston, has restaurants spanning the country and has appeared on programs including “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” Bravo’s “Top Chef Masters,” “The Today Show” and the Food Network. He has been named “Best Chef in the Northeast” by the James Beard Foundation and has received Food & Wine’s “Best New Chefs in America” honor, among other awards. He began his career as a dishwasher at age 14 and is the author of “It’s About Time, Great Recipes for Everyday Life.”
Beech is currently open Sunday through Thursday from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 to 9 p.m. Seven-day-a-week operation will begin the first week of June. Reservations are available through OpenTable, and more information is available at beechjt.com.
