In spring 2016, Executive Chef Rachel Klein will open her first restaurant, RFK Kitchen, in her hometown of Needham, Massachusetts. The new 100-seat restaurant located at 948 Great Plain Avenue in the heart of Needham will bring a vibrant and unique dining experience to the town while maintaining a true neighborhood restaurant feel.
Klein’s executive chef experience includes X.O. Café in Providence, OM in Harvard Square, Seaport Hotel’s Aura, Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Asana, and most recently Liquid Art House, but this will be her first position as an executive chef/owner where she plans to redefine the white tablecloth experience into a concept that is more welcoming and less formal, without losing the hospitality that people expect.
Klein’s been searching for the perfect spot to open a restaurant for nearly six years, and when the opportunity to open one just down the street from where she resides with her husband and two sons, the timing could not have been more perfect. Much of what she strives to do with RFK’s menu and concept is a direct reflection of what she desires as a resident: a fun, eclectic, modern American, chef-driven, family-friendly dining experience.
Klein, known for her globally influenced cuisine as well as her modern interpretation of the classics and artful presentation, will create an expansive menu offering snacks, bar bites, boutique steaks, chef’s creations of entrees and appetizers, and a weekly comfort specials menu. Another highlight will be the mix-and-match bento boxes offered on the kid’s menu.
Guests will be able to enjoy the cuisine in three different settings: at the bar or in the lounge area, in the dining room, or at the 20-seat Chef’s Counter that surrounds the open kitchen, allowing them to have as interactive a dining experience as they wish. At the Chef’s Counter guests can order from the standard menu, or for the daring, can go the improvisational route, providing just enough information about their personal preferences and dietary restrictions for Chef Rachel and her team to provide an innovative, seasonal tasting menu.
Klein will be opening the restaurant with friend and partner Francesco Melandri. Dinner service will be available six days a week upon opening, with lunch and Sunday brunch offerings following shortly thereafter.
