Cooking up Change at Menemsha Restaurant Scene

Olivia Hull Saturday, March 14 2015 - 8:04am

The restaurant at Chilmark’s Beach Plum Inn will open this May with a new head chef. Josh Aronie, who led the kitchen at the nearby Home Port Restaurant last summer, will oversee both restaurants this year.

“I felt I could be a good match for the restaurant, and thought it would be a good challenge,” he told the Gazette by phone this week.

The menus aren’t set just yet, but patrons can expect a focus on seafood at the Home Port, and a farm-to-table menu at the Beach Plum.

For the past two summers, Chris Fischer led the Beach Plum kitchen, before leaving last year. Sarah and Robert Nixon, who own the Menemsha and Beach Plum inns, also own both restaurants.

Between the two dining rooms, Mr. Aronie will oversee a total of 210 seats, but he said he’s up to the challenge. As executive chef, he’ll also have help. At the Beach Plum, chef Nathan Gould, formerly of the Harbor View Hotel, will manage the daily operations. And chef Nick Barbera will do the same in the Home Port kitchen.

Mr. Aronie grew up spending summers on the Vineyard, and got his first restaurant job at age 12 at the Home Port. Over the years, he’s been involved in a variety of restaurant ventures Islandwide, including Cafe Moxie, Saltwater Cafe, Menemsha Cafe, Sharky’s and Park Corner Bistro. For the past two years, Mr. Aronie has operated a food truck that holds court in the parking lot of the Chilmark Store in the off-season.

While the new Beach Plum menu is far from finalized, Mr. Aronie said it will still emphasize local ingredients. He’s looking forward to a very busy summer, and when asked if that means 100 hours a week, he laughed.

“I would say something like that,” he said.

Comments

You had better eat first at

Robert S. Bruguiere Gulfstream

You had better eat first at home before going to the Beach Plum Inn. The portions are so small they are like child size, served on plates the size of a coffee saucer.

How about letting go of the

Farmer5 chilmark

How about letting go of the past...
Josh hasn't put out a single plate of food at the Beach Plum and already the negativity is flowing?
I'm sure that he'll bring much anticipated change. Why don't we give him a shot first?

What part of the "change" in

Dana Nunes VH/Chilmark

What part of the "change" in the title of this story did you not get? I think it would be prudent not to smear the present chef because of the failings of the previous chef and first let him show what he can do. You may end up happily eating more than just your words.

We are sorry of chef Fischer

Enzo Lombardi Positano, Italy

We are sorry of chef Fischer leaving The Beach Plum where we enjoyed superior dining. We will return this summer to the beautiful terrace and see what Aronie provides. We have strong confidence the meal will be very good.

I understand the sayings of Mr. Robert as we too see many Americans feeling hungry here in my country. The tradition of "fattoria alla tavola" is in history here for many years. We feed the pigs and chickens many more nutritious feeds and so they are more healthy for us. And so we can eat small plates and remain slender but provided for in nutritions. Also these animals walk freely and even run. We say they do the exercises for us. More time to enjoy life.

Chef Fischer knows these things. He is of slender build unlike many Americans (here we say there is no sun left for us at the ocean sand when American family visits). I read from my friends that a book he is writing is for sale soon. This is good and will be helpful to the people with habits from years of heavy big food.

For a real Italian meal you come visit us. MIT not you visit Beach Plum and learn.

Ran into Josh when he waited

Frank C Edgartown MA

Ran into Josh when he waited tables at the Mansion House many years ago. He was great with my young grandson allowing him to "help" with orders. Later, at Park Corner,the same. Followed him at all the others(Moxie,Sharkey's,Home Port). Have faith in Josh. See you at The Beach Plum.

Always went away very pleased

Jan OB

Always went away very pleased from his restaurants/truck. Looking forward to summer eating 2015.

As summer visitors to the

Steve Axelrad South Florida

As summer visitors to the Vineyard for over 30 years, the Beach Plum Inn used to be our favorite restaurant. That is until a couple of summers ago, when the prices seem to have soared while the portions diminished. Since food is typically no more than 30-35% of costs, it seemed a foolish way to proceed. However, The absolute same thing happened at the Home Port. Hope it turns around this summer.

I hope the beach plum gets it

Erica West tis

I hope the beach plum gets it right this time. Maybe a new chef running the show is what they need. In previous years, prices have been steep and portions were too small, almost being stingy. And just mediocre. For the same prices, you could go up the street to state road and get a filling and quite delicious meal. Maybe I will give it a try again..

Have followed Josh's culinary

Sig Van Raan St John USVI

Have followed Josh's culinary show for years and looking forward to seeing what he can do given the right stage - He's talented.comitted
and has yet to dissappoint. We thought last year we'd never go back to the Beach Plum - I've already booked for our anniversary dinner!
All best wishes Josh!!

Various incarnations of this

Susan Johnson Vineyard Haven MA

Various incarnations of this restaurant present intriguing case studies of the Island economic system as an ecology. We apply the notion of sustainability to farming, so why not our economy?
One version made a point of hiring mature Island women in FOH - providing much needed jobs and presenting an image of the Island through these women, and welcoming and affirming to visitors and residents. This last version sourced food locally, but catered to a non-local audience, and the entire front and back staff was imported. The image is local, but the reality is "plunk" - more about appropriation than sustainability. I am borrowing the "plunk" concept from debates on public art: "does the neighborhood have a say?" I'm not condemning anyone - just pointing it out. Many farms, BTW, also tend to import staff over local hires. I worked at Flatbreads last summer- amazing in that the majority hired were local. This was meant as a commitment to sustainability-so important. Yet again, the off-island owners closed it. I'm not meaning this as a reverses bias rant, but I wonder how we can achieve sustainability unless we commit to it?

I want to rephrase my

Susan Johnson Vineyard Haven, MA

I want to rephrase my question in my previous post (and sorry for the typos there as well) : What can we do to commit to a sustainable economic ecology? As in me and you...

Josh Aronie will lead the kitchens at both the Beach Plum Inn and Home Port this summer.