Waterfront Bar + Restaurant

The Brief

Set along the Saugatuck River in Westport, CT, this waterfront restaurant, bar, and event venue is built to be more than a place to eat. With indoor dining, outdoor seating, riverside cabanas, and eight boat slips for dock-and-dine guests, it operates as a full hospitality destination, a place people return to for everything from a Tuesday lunch to a private celebration on the water. The concept is anchored by a culinary team and founding partners with serious credentials: an executive chef with a James Beard House appearance, a decade at Tribeca Grill, and stints at Nobu and the Myriad Restaurant Group; and co-owners that include a nationally recognized television personality.

I've been part of this project since before it opened, working through the construction phase, the launch, and the ongoing operation that followed. The role covers social media, email marketing, blog writing, event campaigns, photography direction, videography, and press coordination. The goal from day one has been to translate a genuinely exceptional in-person experience into content that drives reservations and builds a loyal, returning community.

Scope of Work

• Social Media Management Full management across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Twitter. Content is built around the full rhythm of the venue: Golden Hour, brunch, dinner service, seasonal menu launches, dock-and-dine season, private events, and weekly activations like live music and watch parties. The strategy focuses on showing how the space feels at different times of day and different occasions, making every post a reason to come in.
• Photography & Videography Direction Regular on-site capture of food, cocktails, the dining room, the waterfront setting, and event moments. Content is designed for social media, website use, email campaigns, and press support, with a consistent visual language that reflects the relaxed sophistication of the brand.
• Email Marketing Ongoing campaigns driving reservations for weekly programming, seasonal menu changes, and special events. Each campaign is built around a timely hook, like a new menu item, a coming-soon event, or a seasonal moment, designed to give subscribers a specific reason to act.
• Blog Writing & SEO Editorial content covering seasonal menus, chef spotlights, event recaps, and venue stories. The blog supports search visibility and gives each menu launch or event more depth and context than a social post can provide.
• Event Campaign Strategy Campaign builds for recurring programming (Golden Hour, brunch, dock-and-dine) and one-off activations including the first anniversary Oktoberfest, holiday dinners, and themed nights. Each campaign runs across social, email, and blog in a coordinated push.
• Brand Storytelling & PR Coordination A key focus has been developing and amplifying the stories behind the restaurant: the executive chef's career trajectory, the founding partners' vision, and the venue's place in the Westport community. That narrative foundation supported press outreach and resulted in coverage across regional and national outlets from launch onward.
• Team Positioning Intentional effort to build credibility and visibility around Executive Chef Stephen Lewandowski, whose background (CIA graduate, Tribeca Grill, Nobu, Myriad Restaurant Group, James Beard House) is one of the brand's most powerful differentiators, alongside co-founders Craig Melvin and Doug Pardon.

The Work

The marketing story here starts with the people. Executive Chef Stephen Lewandowski trained at the CIA, cooked under Alfred Portale at Gotham Bar and Grill, spent over a decade at Tribeca Grill, and served as Culinary Director at the Myriad Restaurant Group, overseeing Nobu, Mai House, and Tribeca Grill simultaneously. He has cooked for Nelson Mandela, President Bill Clinton, Robert De Niro, Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z, and Beyoncé. He has been featured at the James Beard House and appeared on The Today Show and Good Morning America. That biography isn't a footnote. It's a cornerstone of the brand's authority, and building it into the venue's digital presence has been central to the strategy.

Co-owner Craig Melvin, TODAY show anchor, added a layer of national visibility to the local launch story that few independent restaurants ever get. Co-owner Doug Pardon, a Westport native who conducted focus groups with 80 local residents before making a single design decision, grounded the concept in genuine community investment. Together, the three partners gave the restaurant a story worth telling across every channel.