New Rivers' Chef/Owner Bruce Tillinghast with Executive Chef Beau Vestal
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 gems of fine dining in Rhode Island. Sure, now you can’t turn a corner in Providence without walking into a fantastic restaurant. But in 1990 there were only a handful, and few have lasted twenty years, let alone twenty years of consistent excellence. So I was honored to join the party that evening, thrilled to bear witness to some of RI’s restaurant royalty as they happily extolled Bruce Tillinghast’s virtues, and also touched to see a group of food professionals—who probably don’t get together as often as they should—wax poetic. As someone who photographs some very emotional events, I can say this party for Tillinghast and his restaurant was full of warmth, laughter and an occasional tear in the corner of your eye.
Chef Tillinghast with Providence Mayor David Cicilline
Proclamation making Monday, March 15, 2010, New Rivers Day in the City of Providence
Looking up Steeple Street outside New Rivers' door
standing: Champe Speidel of Persimmon, Derek Wagner of Nick's on Broadway, Matt Jennings of Farmstead, Inc., Jules Ramos of Eleven Forty Nine, Bob Burke of Pot au Feu, Bruce Tillinghast of New Rivers, Johanne Killeen of Al Forno, Casey Riley of Newport Restaurant Group, Ann Burke of Pot au Feu, Beau Vestal of New Rivers, Ed Reposa of Thee Red Fez, George Germon of Al Forno; seated: Kate Jennings of Farmstead, Inc., Julie Nahas of 3 Steeple Street, Deborah Norman of Rue De L'Espoir; in front: Kristin Gennuso of Chez Pascal
warm beef pastrami
