Goat with Chef Beau Vestal of New Rivers
As whole pig was deemed the new bacon and then lamb was the new pig, New Rivers‘ Executive Chef Beau Vestal has declared goat is the new lamb. Vestal invited me into New Rivers’ kitchen to watch him break down a whole goat and talk about all the different dishes he’ll be turning out for [...]
Persimmon Provisions Now Open in Barrington, RI
Persimmon Provisions, an artisan butcher shop in Barrington, is now open. The store is stocked with turkeys for Thanksgiving, both all-natural and organic varieties. A side of Blackbird Farm beef, from Smithfield, Rhode Island, was brought in and butchered to offer local steaks, roasts and ground meat to customers. Another local farm, Round the Bend [...]
Chefs Collaborative Summit Butchery Demo and Barbecue
Here are twelve photographs from the Chefs Collaborative National Summit that was held in Boston, October 3-5, 2010. If you are not interested in animal butchery or whole animal cooking, do not scroll down to the remaining eleven photos. You have been warned.
March of Dimes RI Ninth Annual Signature Chefs Auction
Last Thursday, September 16th, the March of Dimes Rhode Island chapter held their Ninth Annual Signature Chefs Auction at Belle Mer in Newport. The Signature Chefs Auction is one of the best culinary events in Rhode Island each year. This celebration brings together the state’s finest chefs to invite guests to sample their signature dishes [...]
3rd Annual Savor Providence – A benefit for Trinity Rep
Saturday, August 28th was the third annual Savor Providence event, which benefits Trinity Repertory Company’s education programs. It’s a massive event which includes offerings from twenty-three restaurants and caterers in Providence, and this year they added a Cooking Demonstration Tent. The cooking demos were a blast and it was a lot of fun watching Trinity [...]
Chef Beau Vestal’s Outstanding in the Field dinner in Portsmouth, RI
On Tuesday evening, August 24th, the Outstanding in the Field bus was parked outside a huge barn at Aquidneck Farm in Portsmouth and the invited chef, Executive Chef Beau Vestal of New Rivers in Providence, prepared a multi-course local food dinner right there at the farm. Over 160 people arrived at Aquidneck Farm around 3:00 [...]
Farm Fresh RI Local Food Fest 2010 at Castle Hill Inn and Resort in Newport
The fourth annual Farm Fresh Rhode Island Local Food Fest was held this past Tuesday evening and by all accounts it was a huge success in showcasing the amazing bounty of local food, culinary talent and delicious products that Rhode Island has to offer. Even the weather happily participated and it was a gorgeous night [...]
Rhode Island Farm, Vine and Sea to Table luncheon at James Beard House in New York
On Thursday, June 17th, the Rhode Island Tourism division along with members of the Providence/Warwick and Newport Convention & Visitors Bureaus hosted a Rhode Island Farm, Vine and Sea to Table luncheon at the James Beard House in New York. Four Rhode Island chefs were invited to prepare dishes made almost entirely from local ingredients, [...]
Cochon 555 Boston
On Sunday March 28th the second annual Boston event for Cochon 555 was held at The Liberty Hotel. Last year’s champion from Providence, Rhode Island, Chef Matt Jennings of Farmstead, successfully defended his title. Chef Jennings won in a very tight competition against Chef Tony Maws from Craigie on Main, Chef Joseph Margate from Clink., [...]
New Rivers at Twenty
On Monday night March 15, 2010, a surprise party was held for Bruce Tillinghast, Chef/Owner of New Rivers in Providence, RI, to celebrate the restaurant’s twentieth birthday. When New Rivers’ Executive Chef Beau Vestal asked if I could cover the evening for posterity, of course I said yes. New Rivers is one of those rare [...]
