Star Chef Jonathan Cartwright Launches MUSE in Newport

Star Chef Jonathan Cartwright Launches MUSE in Newport

For the better part of a decade, foodies with their fingers on the pulse of great American dining have placed the White Bar Inn in Kennebunk, Maine, on their tops of their must-eat-at lists. The reason was Jonathan Cartwright, a British-born chef whose penchant for combining rustic Yankee ambience, European-style service, and contemporary New England ingredients and preparations was nothing short of genius.  

Newport hit the culinary jackpot this week when Cartwright unveiled his menu for Muse by Jonathan Cartwright, the fine-dining restaurant in the Vanderbilt Grace. The boutique hotel, formerly Vanderbilt Hall, was taken over last winter by Grace Hotels, a Europe-based luxury hotel group that is expanding throughout the world, starting in Newport. 

Taking charge at the Vanderbilt Grace

Cartwright has been appointed Group Chef de Cuisine to the Grace Hotels group. This means he’ll oversee all food and beverage operations for the hotel chain. So while he won’t spend all of his time in Newport, he’ll be on site frequently, overseeing both Muse and the hotel’s more casual, brasserie-style restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner. Cartwright says the menu will change with the seasons, certainly, but may even change weekly, depending on the availability of the freshest local ingredients. 

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Modern take on traditional European

With Muse, Cartwright strives to bring his modern take on traditional European cuisine to the table, and his dishes at the opening night dinner reflected this passion. Passed appetizers included a lobster bisque with a crispy lobster wonton and congnac crème fraiche and macadamia but-crusted day boat scallops. Sit down dinner included a pan-seared New England quail breast served alongside foie gras raviolo and summer vegetables, herb crusted lamb on a baby leek risotto, and the runaway hit of the night – a butter-poached and smoked lobster tail. The dessert offerings were numerous, meticulous, and decadent.  

Guests at the opening dinner were delighted by Muse’s formal setting, original artwork, and sea-blue walls, as well as the attentive service. We expect Muse will quickly join the ranks of Tallulah on Thames, One Bellevue at the Viking, and some of the other top-notch restaurant in the city by the sea. 

Muse by Jonathan Cartwright is opened daily for dinner from 6:00pm to 10:00pm. For more information, visit www.vanderbiltgrace.com or call 846-6200.