“Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday by far,” says Caleb & Broad’s Rich Willis. “You have one responsibility, to eat and drink all day. How bad can that be?”
It’s been 10 years since the Middletown native opened his own Newport restaurant and changed everything about his family’s annual feast. After many years in the restaurant business and countless turkey days spent at work, he finally had control of his own schedule and a space to host his whole family—about 20 of them, a number which in recent years expanded to include his wife, two-and-a-half-year-old son, and in-laws.
“And the number may increase. If somebody’s not doing anything, I want to make sure they have a place to go,” he said.
This year, Caleb & Broad’s new chef, Kaitlin Boissonneau, will be joining the celebration along with her dad. Willis says she’s young, hungry, and eager to prove herself, which is what he was looking for at the restaurant. “She’s our new rock star in the kitchen, taking our menu to the next level. Her flavors are spot on, and you can see the love of what she does and taste it in her dishes,” said Willis.
On Thanksgiving, Caleb & Broad closes for the day as the clan gathers there, each bringing assigned dishes that are warmed in the restaurant’s professional ovens. Willis relishes the entire spread, from green bean casserole to candied sweet potatoes, stuffing, roasted Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes, and more.
“On Thanksgiving, I eat until I want to explode,” he says.
Once the master of the mashies, whose secret was roasted garlic and locally sourced spuds, Willis said he’s graduated from potatoes to chief turkey roaster. This year, to ensure enough leftovers for all, he’s planning on two birds, at 15 to 20 lbs. each, which he’ll brine for a couple of days with salt, sugar, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and minced garlic, and roast at 325 degrees, bumping up the temp to 425 for the final 45 minutes. But it’s his mom who conjures his best childhood food memories annually with her homemade gravy and award-winning pies. “Desserts are my favorite,” he says.
This year, Willis said, he’s most excited to share the holidays with his son, who is now old enough to appreciate what’s going on. “I’m looking forward to seeing him run around and help out.”
2024 marks the first year that Willis’ father, William Willis, aka “Pops,” who passed away in October, won’t be at the table. “Obviously, that’s the tough part,” he said. “Every year, despite telling him he didn’t need to bring anything, he always brought a bottle of Gentleman Jack. So, a little Jack Daniels will definitely be on the menu that day.”
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