Chef Riz Ahmed Opens “Timely” New Hourglass Restaurant

Chef Riz Ahmed Opens “Timely” New
Hourglass Restaurant

Chef Riz Ahmed

Trained at London’s prestigious Le Cordon Bleu, Riz Ahmed, the Chef Patron at the new Newport restaurant The Hourglass, is serious about food, and meticulous about his kitchen. The Hourglass is his first solo restaurant venture, and is his “pride and joy.”

Mr. Ahmed arrived in Bristol from Bermuda’s The Newport Room, a five diamond rated establishment, where his met his wife, a native of Rhode Island. He first worked as sous chef at The Carnegie Abbey Club before creating The Hourglass, with its menu of enticing and unusual dishes. Located within Newport’s stately Vanderbilt Hall, the restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner, and spills into the conservatory and the outdoor gardens, as well as the bar and the Polo Lounge, with its gilded “Alva” over the fireplace.

“I’ve always had a passion for cooking,” he said, even though he received a degree as a marine biologist from The University of Maine, and followed that profession for a number of years. Born in Pakistan of an English mother and Pakistani father, he remembers his early interest in food preparation, learned from his parents.

His three years in London were both formative and transformative. After achieving a degree from Le Cordon Bleu, the went to work under Paul Layler at the exclusive Laneborough Hotel. He went to the famous Le Gavroche, a London landmark that has been in the top 10 restaurants of the world for 20 years, as has the Laneborough. Under chef Marco Pierre White, he refined his techniques for preparing classic French cuisine, soups, and stocks. Le Gavroche consistently receives a three-star rating in the Michelin guide.

“The menu at The Hourglass will be contemporary European, with 3 or 4 courses, and fine dining for everyone,” he said, “which suits the building.”

“The kitchen I took over did not flow correctly, so I made changes,” he said and explained how and why he reconfigured the dividers, and added a large French topped stove that allows for high heat in the front, and warming heat in the back. He also hired a staff of four highly qualified kitchen assistants.

There is an thoughtfully selected wine list, to allow the correct pairings with Chef Ahmed’s creations, and such specialty drinks as The Alfred “Gin” Vanderbilt Martini, the Doris Duke, and the YMCA -- all homages to history of the building.

The Hourglass also offers bar fare, lighter dishes such as carpaccio, stuffies, and pommes frites. It is available for private events for up to 45 in the main dining room, and 25 in the conservatory.

“We want all of Newport, and all visitors here, to dine with us, and celebrate our cuisine in one of the most beautfiul settings in town.” Open for breakfast and dinner only, six days a week, the restaurant’s food is already receiving rave reviews.

The Hourglass menus can be seen at www.thehourglass.com. Call 401.619.3500 for reservations.