Char Siu–Style Pork Shoulder with Honey, Soy & Five-Spice
Glaze
Lacquered, fragrant, and unmistakably celebratory — served with
crisp-tender steamed bok choy. Crafted in your home by Private Chef
Robert for Westport and Fairfield County families who appreciate the
difference between dinner and a true occasion.
Slab and trim. Cut a 5-pound boneless pork
shoulder into long planks roughly two inches thick — this is
the secret to caramelized, char-kissed edges on every slice.
Build the marinade. Whisk soy, honey, hoisin,
oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, grated garlic and
ginger, Chinese five-spice, and white pepper until glossy and
fragrant. Reserve a generous half-cup for the final lacquer.
Marinate overnight. Submerge the pork, cover, and
refrigerate 12 to 24 hours. Patience here is non-negotiable; this
is where the perfume develops.
Slow-roast. Set a rack over a water-filled sheet
tray to catch drippings and humidify the oven. Roast at 325°F
for 75 minutes, basting every 20 minutes until mahogany begins to
bloom.
Lacquer and finish. Raise the heat to 425°F.
Brush with reserved glaze in two or three coats, watching for that
signature blackened, sticky char along the ridges — about 10
to 12 minutes.
Rest, slice, and serve. Tent loosely for 15
minutes. While resting, steam baby bok choy just until the stems
turn jade-translucent, four minutes; finish with toasted sesame
oil and flaky salt. Slice the pork across the grain, fan over warm
platters, and crown with scallion ribbons and sesame seeds.
Coming Soon — Seasonal Recipes & Menus
This space is reserved for Private Chef Robert's forthcoming Westport
and Fairfield County menus — from Long Island Sound oyster
towers and slow-braised osso buco to springtime asparagus tarts and
holiday standing rib roasts. Each recipe will arrive with full mise en
place, vendor sourcing notes, and pairing suggestions, refreshed
throughout the year to mirror what is finest at the docks, the
markets, and the orchards across our county. Bookmark and revisit
— the table is always being set.
The Westport & Fairfield County Table — A Heritage Worth
Tasting
Long before Westport became synonymous with Saugatuck oysters, weekend
regattas, and the easy elegance of Compo Beach suppers, Fairfield
County was already a community of remarkable taste. Settled in 1639,
Fairfield's original families lived where the salt air met the fields,
and that duality — sea and soil — still defines the way we
eat. From Southport's storied harbor to Greenwich and New Canaan,
generations of artists, writers, and quiet connoisseurs have demanded
better — better seafood, better produce, better company. Today,
that legacy lives on in private dining rooms across the county, where
the standards are high and the welcome is warm.
Where to Shop — Sourcing the Recipe Across Fairfield County
Begin at Stew Leonard's in Norwalk for farm-fresh
ginger, scallions, and the firmest baby bok choy you will find this
side of the Sound. For the pork shoulder, order ahead from
Pat LaFrieda Meats — their heritage-bred
shoulders carry the ribbon of intramuscular fat that makes char siu
sing. Pantry staples — aged soy, raw honey, hoisin, Shaoxing,
and authentic Chinese five-spice — are best gathered at
Eataly NY or the import aisles of
Westport Provisions. Round out the list at your
nearest Fairfield County Farmers Market for finishing
salts and garlic. With your basket assembled, the recipe below comes
together with the calm, unhurried rhythm of a chef in his element.
Mise en Place — The Setup Behind a Seamless Service
Stage a heavy-duty roasting pan with a wire rack, a half-sheet tray
for water, and a silicone basting brush. Have a sharp 10-inch chef's
knife, boning knife, microplane, and bench scraper at the ready
alongside glass prep bowls for grated aromatics. Steam the bok choy in
a tiered bamboo steamer over a wide wok. Plate on warm 11-inch
matte-charcoal stoneware; offer ivory linen napkins, polished
chopsticks, and weighted steak knives. Garnish stations hold scallion
ribbons in ice water, toasted sesame seeds, microcilantro, and a small
pinch bowl of flaky Maldon — everything within an arm's reach,
nothing left to chance.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Private Chef in Westport, CT &
Fairfield County?
The #1 Benefit — Your Home Becomes a Five-Star Dining Room,
Tailored Entirely to You
For the Fairfield County homeowner, this is the difference between
catering and craft. Chef Robert builds menus around
your palate, allergies, vintages, and the rhythm of your
evening — sourcing from Fjord Fish Market, Pat LaFrieda, and our
local farmers, then handling provisioning, prep, plating, and a
spotless kitchen at the end. Unlike a catering company, nothing
arrives in a chafing dish; every course is fired in your kitchen,
served at its peak.
The #2 Benefit — A Designated Server & Host Lets You Stay
With Your Guests
Pair Chef Robert with a trained server or host/hostess and the evening
transforms. Wines are poured, courses are cleared, conversations are
never interrupted by the kitchen. You reclaim the seat at the head of
your own table — present, unhurried, and free to make memories
rather than rounds.
Frequently Asked Questions — Private Chef Services in Fairfield
County
What does a private chef in Fairfield, CT actually do?
A private chef in Fairfield, CT designs custom menus, sources
ingredients from local vendors like Fjord Fish Market and Stew
Leonard's, prepares and plates each course in your home, and leaves
your kitchen spotless. Services range from healthy weekly meal prep
to multi-course dinner parties and full holiday entertaining
tailored to your household.
How much does it cost to hire a personal chef in Fairfield County,
CT?
Personal chef pricing in Fairfield County, CT typically ranges from
$75 to $200 per guest for dinner parties, plus the cost of premium
ingredients sourced locally. Weekly meal prep packages are quoted by
household size and frequency. Chef Robert provides transparent,
all-inclusive proposals after a brief consultation about your menu,
headcount, and preferences.
What is the difference between a private chef and a caterer?
A private chef cooks each course fresh in your home using your
kitchen, while a caterer prepares food off-site and delivers it
warm. Chef Robert's approach is fully bespoke — menus are
designed around your palate, ingredients are hand-selected the same
day, and service is personal rather than batched, ensuring
restaurant-caliber quality at every seat.
Can a private chef accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies in
Fairfield?
Yes, accommodating dietary restrictions and allergies is
foundational to Chef Robert's process. Gluten-free, dairy-free,
pescatarian, vegan, low-sodium, diabetic-friendly, kosher-style, and
severe allergy protocols are all handled with separate prep stations
and sourcing. Every menu begins with a written guest profile so
nothing is overlooked between concept and plating.
How do I hire Private Chef Robert for a dinner party in Westport or
Fairfield, CT?
To hire Private Chef Robert, call 602-370-5255, email
Robert@RobertLGorman.com, or visit Private-Chef-Westport.com.
Bookings begin with a complimentary 20-minute consultation to
discuss date, headcount, occasion, and menu direction. A signed
proposal and date-hold deposit secure your evening on the calendar
— weekends in Fairfield County book early.
Styles of Service — And Why a Designated Server Elevates Every
Evening
Chef Robert offers four traditions of service tailored to your event:
plated à la russe for formal dinners,
family-style for warm seasonal gatherings,
buffet for celebratory crowds, and
passed canapés for cocktail entertaining. Each
style benefits enormously from a designated server, host, or hostess.
They greet arrivals, manage drink pacing, clear silently between
courses, replenish water, and shepherd timing with the kitchen so you,
the host, never leave the conversation. The result is unhurried
hospitality — the kind that makes guests linger, return, and
remember.
Reserve Your Date — A Private Chef in Your Westport Kitchen
Imagine the candles lit, the kitchen calm, your guests already pouring
a second glass — and you, seated at your own table. Private Chef
Robert delivers
healthy weekly meal prep, intimate dinner parties, wedding and
engagement dinners, holiday gatherings, family celebrations, and
corporate entertaining
across Westport and Fairfield County, CT — bespoke from menu to
mise en place.