Are you doing a Thanksgiving-themed menu this year? Yes, it’ll have a fall flair—we’ll be changing over the vegetables to whatever’s local at the moment, working with Johnny at Holly Hill Farms. For example, we’re doing a pork chop with caramelized apples, local cider reduction, kale from the garden, and squash.

Any other seasonal ingredients we should expect? I’m not big on cinnamon and nutmeg in the entrees—that’s more for our drinks and desserts. For fall, we really lean into local produce. Just this week we got local apples, and we’re making an apple and Irish oat milk crumble.

What’s your favorite dish to cook—and to eat? It depends on the day and the mood. Duck is one of my favorites. But sometimes I’ll be in another one of our restaurants and just have to sneak into the kitchen—like the other day, someone walked by with haddock for fish and chips and I couldn’t resist frying up a piece. As long as it’s fresh and local, that’s what excites me.

If someone is coming to Bia for the first time, what should they order? Our signature is the duck. But we also do fresh fish off the boat from Scituate Harbor. We run nightly steak and seafood specials, and our roasted chicken with mushroom risotto has been a staple since day one.

What tips do you have for home cooks fussing over Thanksgiving dinner? Take your time and enjoy it. Prep as much as you can ahead of time, get the family involved, and don’t stress about perfection. Cook with wine, drink the wine, and savor the time together.

What’s your favorite Thanksgiving dish?
Turkey. Growing up in Ireland, we didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving, but our Christmas dinner there is very similar to Thanksgiving here—turkey, ham, stuffing, local vegetables. I also like to start the meal with seafood, like oysters and shrimp.

Favorite pie?
Apple, hands down.

And what’s next for Bia?
We’ve been here 22 years, and we’re in the planning stages for a reinvigoration. I never want Bia to feel dated. This was my first restaurant, and while I’ve opened four more since, it will also be my last. So we’re looking at refreshing and modernizing, with construction expected to begin soon.