In the Kitchen: Michael Schlow of Beech

When it comes to Rhode Island restaurants, Jamestown’s Beech is about as legendary as it gets in the Ocean State. Sultry seascapes and the harbor are never far from view, and you can always smell the water. Set in the shadow of a 131-year-old American copper beech tree, the dappled light provides the tone for a sublime dining experience. The rest falls to the kitchen – and these days, that kitchen has a familiar name at the helm.

James Beard Award-winning Michael Schlow is a celebrated American chef, with a list of accolades and TV appearances as long as his apron. Schlow, known for restaurants in Boston and Washington, DC, as well as at Foxwoods, has joined Beech as chef and managing partner, bringing a distinctly personal philosophy to the Conanicut Island dining scene. Schlow is helping shape the next chapter of a restaurant that has been part of the community for decades (it was formerly Simpatico and Trattoria Simpatico).

For Schlow, the decision to come to Jamestown was less about expanding his restaurant empire and more about following a place and people he already loved. “I’ve been coming to Jamestown and Newport for many, many years and have lots of wonderful friends and colleagues here,” he says. “It’s a beautiful part of the country.” When Tim Conway, one of Beech’s owners, approached him about joining the team, Schlow says, “I jumped at the chance.”

Schlow still calls Boston home, but has been spending considerably more time in Jamestown. And while the restaurant business may have taken him to many destinations, the chef says there is something about this corner of Rhode Island that feels particularly right.

The Beech menu under Schlow centers on American cooking with Mediterranean influences, with an emphasis on local ingredients whenever possible. The result is the kind of food that reflects Schlow’s larger culinary philosophy: sophisticated technique without unnecessary fuss.

“While I love being ‘creative,’ many times I find that great food doesn’t necessarily need my redesign,” he says. “An amazing dish is often about honoring the original concept and attempting to make it the very best version you are capable of.”

That approach is evident in dishes such as tuna tartare with cucumbers, caviar, and spicy ponzu; mussels “Meuniere”; chicken Milanese; steak frites with bistro sauce; and homemade chitarra with spicy lobster, and shrimp diavola. There is a certain breadth to the menu, but also a sense of restraint. Schlow is interested in making food memorable, not making it complicated for the sake of being clever.

That instinct was developed over a career that began remarkably early. Schlow got his first restaurant job as a dishwasher at age 14 and worked his way through virtually every position in the business, a very typical track for people in his position. Along the way, he was mentored by Jean-Louis Palladin, Pino Luongo, and Craig Shelton, three chefs he credits with helping shape both his cooking style and work ethic.

But ask Schlow what a chef actually does, and the answer goes well beyond cooking. “Cooking is maybe 30 percent of the job,” he says. The rest, he explains, requires being “an accountant, an artist, a historian, a handyman, a coach, a psychologist, a designer, a buyer, a negotiator, a babysitter, a performer, and most importantly, a teacher.”

At Beech, that last role is particularly important. Schlow has reunited with Jamestown native Eric Warren, who was part of Beech’s original kitchen team and now serves as executive chef. Together, they are focused not only on the food but on creating a workplace where people can learn and grow. Schlow’s approach to leadership has evolved along with the industry. The old-school kitchen stereotype – loud, intimidating, and occasionally airborne with a whole fish – is not his model.

His recipe for a successful restaurant begins with clear communication, defined goals, a happy workplace, and a team of like-minded people. It is an approach that mirrors his philosophy of hospitality: Make people feel good, whether they are working in the restaurant or sitting down to dinner. That, ultimately, is what Schlow hopes Beech becomes – a place people return to not because it is the newest destination in town, but because it is the one they can count on.

The restaurant has recently undergone renovations, including improvements to its second-floor Tree House space, and Schlow says more is coming: new wine and cocktail programs, themed dinners and programmed evenings designed to give guests additional reasons to gather. “Our goal is to make Beech the very best restaurant we’re capable of,” Schlow says. “Most importantly, is continuing to work side by side with all of our team members and partners to make Beech everyone’s ‘go to’ spot no matter what the occasion.” 13 Narragansett Avenue, Jamestown