Intimate Lunar New Year Feast at Recently Reopened Retreat in Salisbury March 1
The year of the snake slithers on with a dinner event steeped in tradition, at one of the region's newest venues.
In celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake, After Hours Hospitality and Jillian J Events are collaborating to host the second annual Lunar New Year Dinner Party on March 1. The event will take place at The Thyme, a newly renovated retreat space in Salisbury, Connecticut. Blending cultural tradition with contemporary style, the evening will center around a seven-course, family-style menu inspired by traditional customs. There will be two 40-person seatings at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
“Last year, we got together and thought, ‘Let’s put together an amazing cultural event where people can share food, share my culture, and just create an awesome experience,’” says Jillian Schuster. The inaugural event took place at the Egremont Village Inn and was so well received that expanding its scope this year felt like a natural progression.
Schuster, who grew up in Westchester with a Chinese mother, was eager to bring a meaningful Lunar New Year celebration to the Berkshires. “A lot of the different foods actually represent different things for the new year,” she explains. “The noodles symbolize long life—we’re calling them ‘longevity noodles’—while spring rolls represent gold bars, signifying good fortune and prosperity.” This year’s menu, designed by After Hours’ Kevin Kelly, will also feature a shrimp dish, scallion pancakes, and a five-spice duck course. “It’s a balance of traditional Lunar New Year foods and flavors that people are familiar with,” Schuster says.
The dinner is designed to be intimate yet lively, with seating for up to 40 guests per session. “We want it to feel like a community gathering rather than a large, bustling event,” Schuster notes. “It’s about bringing people together in a meaningful way.”
In addition to celebrating the holiday, the event will serve as a fundraiser for Construct’s “Warm Up the Winter” campaign. Construct, a nonprofit that provides affordable housing and emergency assistance to residents in the southern Berkshires, is in its 18th year of raising funds to help locals cover heating oil, firewood, rent, and utilities during the coldest months. “Housing is a huge issue, and the need for winter assistance is critical,” says Schuster, who also serves on Construct’s board. “Some people are applying for just $30 to buy firewood—it makes a big difference.”
Tickets for the Lunar New Year Dinner Party are $100 per person, and reservations can be made through After Hours’ booking platform.
