June 29, 2026
By Charles Dubow
Photographs by Ryan Lavine
It is likely that Litchfield County gourmets will be familiar with the name Bolivar Hilario, who has been top chef at Ore Hill & Swyft and most recently at Community Table. It is also a good bet that they know RSVP, the quirky, quasi-legendary French eatery in West Cornwall. What’s important to know now is that Hilario, a 2026 semifinalist for the prestigious James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northeast, has taken over RSVP from longtime owners Charles Cirona and Guy Birster.
It can be a risky and audacious move for a new chef to take over an established and beloved restaurant, especially one as unique as RSVP. That’s because RSVP didn’t function like most restaurants. It had no set menu and almost no staff it was prix fixe and BYOB, reservations were hard to come by, it was located in one of the more remote villages in Litchfield County, and the restaurant itself was, to say the least, small and funky. But sitting at one of its 23 hard-backed chairs watching
Birster work his magic as he served up course after course was an unforgettable and always delicious experience. And, thankfully, Hilario is hardly changing a thing. “I’m recreating what Guy and Charles did but also putting my own culinary stamp on it,” he says. “It’s the same concept: BYOB, prix fixe, multiple courses, check or cash. I am even keeping the same name, which has made Charles and Guy very happy.”
What is different is that there are now two seatings per night, from 5 to 7 pm and then from 7:30 to 10 pm. On Tuesday nights there is a more relaxed—and less expensive—menu offering only three courses. “My hope is to be able to attract more of the local community, who might be reluctant to spend $180 per person on a meal,” he says. “It will have a more laid-back vibe and walk-ins are welcome.”
Making the jump from chef to chef-owner is a challenge, but Hilario thinks he is ready.
“When the opportunity to buy RSVP came up, I knew it was time for me to make a move. Before coming to Connecticut, I was the chef at Shoji, which is a Japanese omakase-style restaurant in New York. Omakase is a cooking style very much like what Guy did. The customer lets the chef curate and prepare each course and trusts that he or she will get the freshest, most delicious meal.”
Working with local farms, Hilario’s cooking is hyper seasonal and contemporary. A sample menu consists of seven courses: a nori tartlet with tuna and tomato vinegar; a spring steamed egg custard with ramps; watercress soup; quail from Steadfast Farm with asparagus and cornbread; hake with fava bean, sugar snap peas, and a beurre blanc; a palate cleanser; and dessert.
“I want RSVP to continue being a destination restaurant that people come to for special events. Bring a bottle of your favorite wine and let me make one of the best meals you’ve ever had.”
