A whole new R.S.V.P. in West Cornwall

Bolivar Hilario is a total food nerd. He’s obsessed with the possibilities of fresh ingredients and studies the ways different processes used by different cultures can result in totally different flavors. Now, as the new executive chef and owner of R.S.V.P. in West Cornwall, Connecticut, he’s planning to explore it all.

Since its beginnings, R.S.V.P. has been a popular spot for serious foodies. Modeled after a French dinner party experience, chef Guy Birster and co-owner Charles Cilona were a two-man operation of no-fuss dining. The menu was unpredictable and uncompromising, favoring flavor over the comforts of other fine-dining establishments of comparable caliber. A famous New York Times review headline read: “Regulars Say R.S.V.P. Does Everything Wrong Except for the Food.” The tables and chairs were mismatched; the room itself seemed almost cobbled together from disparate endeavors. The only thing that mattered was the food.

Hilario is taking a slightly different approach. The redesign of the room has been carefully considered, as have the utensils and dishes. While Birster specialized in French cuisine, Hilario’s skills and palate are more internationally based. His family is Mexican, he trained under a chef who fastidiously studied Japanese techniques, and he’s worked in a wide variety of kitchens himself. Add to all that his approach to fresh, local and seasonal ingredients, and you have the perfect storm for some incredible dishes.

But food wasn’t always Hilario’s passion. He found it almost by accident. While he credits his mother and sisters for helping develop his taste for real food instead of the junk his childhood friends were eating, it wasn’t until working as a dishwasher at a chain restaurant in Florida that he noticed the possibilities of what food could be.

Cherry tomatoes, sour milk, tosazu vinegar, blackberriesD.H. Callahan

The kitchen caught his attention, and he was quickly asking the chefs why they did what they did. He’d poke and prod, asking why not substitute this ingredient for another. But even the most experienced chefs weren’t allowed to mess with a corporate menu. Instead, Hilario started experimenting with his own food. He’d come in early and use the tools of the industrial kitchens to learn how ingredients worked together to create surprisingly different results.

Soon, his passions had grown too big for the constraints of the corporate restaurants that dominated Florida’s food scene. So, he packed his bags and headed for New York City. While still working his way up, he found the city was more encouraging of innovation and curiosity than Florida had been. The chefs he worked with took his ideas seriously, but more importantly, they had the freedom to put those ideas on a menu. It was then that Hilario became obsessed with the radical potential of ingredients, techniques, textures and flavor combinations. It was then that his interests turned almost academic, reading about and absorbing all the knowledge other chefs were willing to share.

When he came to Connecticut, a whole new world opened up. First at Ore Hill and Swyft in Kent, he took the opportunity to meet the farmers growing his ingredients. By the time he’d worked his way up to becoming the executive chef at Community Table in New Preston, he was wowing everyone who walked in, including voters for some serious awards. In 2025, with a menu designed by Hilario, Community Table won Restaurant of the Year and Best Restaurant in Litchfield County from the Connecticut Restaurant Association. Then, in 2026, Hilario himself was named a semifinalist for the James Beard Best Chef in the Northeast award.

But now he’s out on his own. Following in the footsteps of R.S.V.P.’s founders, the restaurant is still a blind tasting menu, and flavor is still king. When you request a reservation, Hilario will email you, asking about allergies or aversions. He can cook around almost any dietary restriction and even finds some of them an exciting challenge. After that, there are no more decisions. You’ll eat what he makes, and what he makes is sensational. The blending of ingredients and regional highlights will wow diners with every bite.

The price, however, is something that might deter many potential diners, especially in a recession. But if you can afford to drop a few bills on a special dinner, it’s well worth it. Hilario argues that “it’s better to pay for good food at a restaurant than it is to pay for bad food at the doctors’ office.” And good food with good ingredients is certainly what they’re serving at R.S.V.P.

The restaurant opened on Sept. 1 and will have an abbreviated menu available for half price on Tuesdays. Wednesday through Sunday will feature the full menu, and all nights are B.Y.O.B. To learn more and request a reservation, go to rsvpdining.com.