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News Bites: Narragansett Beer to Open Brewing Operation in Pawtucket / April Vacation at Coggeshall Farm Museum / RI Food Bank Receives 30,000 Lbs of Food from Local Architects

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Narragansett Beer to Open Brewing Operation in Pawtucket

The Guild (rendering)

The Guild (rendering)

Narragansett Beer President Mark Hellendrung announced on their blog they will “move our offices from 60 Ship Street in Providence to The Guild, home of our future brewing operations, at 461 Main Street in Pawtucket. Several months will be spent restoring the building and installing the brew house, and later this year, we’ll be brewing ‘Gansett in the Ocean State for the first time since 1983.”

Read Hellendrung’s complete post.

 

April School Vacation:
Dig History at Coggeshall Farm Museum

Casey Duckett, assistant director at Coggeshall Farm Museum, demonstrates blacksmithing to young visitors at this living history museum in Bristol, RI.

Casey Duckett, assistant director at Coggeshall Farm Museum, demonstrates blacksmithing to young visitors at this living history museum in Bristol, RI.

If you dig history, you can get your hands dirty learning about Rhode Island’s past at Coggeshall Farm Museum during April school vacation week. From gardening to archaeology, a full slate of activities is planned for April 15 – 24. All ages are invited to participate in this special week, which kicks off Coggeshall’s return to regular season hours. Beginning Friday, April 15, Coggeshall will be open 10 am to 4 pm, Tuesday through Sunday, through December.

The following activities are free to members and included in the price of admission for guests. Weekday admission is $3 for children, seniors and active-duty military and $5 for adults. Weekend admission is $5 for children, seniors and active-duty military and $7 for adults. Children under 3 are free. No registration is necessary.

Shanty Night: Pack up the family and a picnic dinner, bring your instruments and singing voices, and join us for an open sing around the campfire. Everyone is encouraged to share their favorite song and take a turn leading the singing. Friday, April 15, 6:30 – 8 pm.

Hearthcooking: Help us prepare a variety of traditional New England foods cooked over the hearth or baked in our brick beehive oven. Tuesday, April 19, through Sunday, April 24, 11 am to 1 pm.

Tree Felling and Processing: Watch us fell a tree using a two-man saw and then help us process the wood for our hearth, fence making, shingles and other uses. Tree Felling: Tuesday, April 19, 11 am. Wood Processing: Tuesday, April 19 through Sunday, April 24, throughout the day.

Garden Plan & Prep: Consult with our Heirloom Garden Supervisor on the plan for your own garden and help us prepare our garden for planting. Wednesday, April 20, Saturday, April 23, and Sunday, April 24, 10 am to noon.

Wool Carding & Spinning: Learn to prepare wool for spinning and transform it into workable fiber using the drop spindle. Thursday, April 21, 1 pm to 3 pm.

Candlemaking: Help us make hand-dipped candles to light our nights through the next winter. Saturday, April 23, 1 pm – 3 pm.

Blacksmith Shop Demonstrations: Discover how tools were made in the 18th century using a double-action bellows and forge. Help us polish up the tools created by our resident blacksmiths. Friday, April 22, and Sunday, April 24, 1 pm to 3 pm.

Feather Duster 101: Make your own feather duster from feathers collected from our heritage breed chickens and turkeys. Sunday, April 24, 1-3 pm.

The following program is for ages 10 and up, has a cost of $10 per person, and requires advance registration:

Archaeologist for a Day: Experience how real archaeologists uncover the past in this hands-on program. Use an archaeologist’s tool kit to excavate a mock dig and piece together clues to unravel the mysteries of a fictional site. Thursday, April 21, 1 pm to 3 pm. Email c.elder@coggeshallfarm.org to register.

Coggeshall Farm Museum is a living history museum portraying the lives of Rhode Island’s salt marsh farmers in the late 18th century. The farm located at 1 Colt Drive in Bristol, RI, off Poppasquash Road. For more information, email c.elder@coggeshallfarm.org or call 401-253-9062.

RI Food Bank Receives 30,000 Lbs of Food from Local Architects

Local architects, builders, and contractors donate food and raise awareness of hunger in RI as part of Canstruction Event.

Rhode Island Community Food Bank

From March 12 through March 26, six sculptures made of canned goods took over the Concourse at Providence Place for Canstruction 2016. The sculptures were created and built by some of the best local architects, builders, and  contractors in the area including Dimeo Construction, LLB Architects, Gilbane Building Co., Saccoccio and Associates, and Shawmut Design and Construction.

When the exhibits were “de-canstructed” last Saturday, all of the food was donated to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank – a total of 29,514 pounds!

“I’m always amazed by the amount of skill and effort involved with Canstruction,” said Andrew Schiff, CEO of the Food Bank. “It proves that we have some of the most creative architects and designers here in Rhode Island who are so generous to give their time and energy to help feed our neighbors in need.”

Visitors to this year’s Canstruction exhibit were entertained by favorite characters like R2D2 and BB8 from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Dory from Disney’s Finding Nemo and the upcoming Finding Dory, and Left Shark from the 2015 Super Bowl Half-Time Show, along with a taste of everyone’s favorite coffee, Dunkin’ Donuts, a magic lunchbox, and a tribute to the Ocean State.

Behind the challenge of designing and building enormous sculptures from full cans of food was the goal of helping to alleviate the serious problem of food insecurity. The thousands of cans of food used in each sculpture were transported to the Community Food Bank, where they will be distributed to people throughout the state. Each month, the Food Bank serves 60,000 clients through a network of 167 agencies such as food pantries, shelters, youth programs and senior centers.

For more information, visit: www.rifoodbank.org

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chefs & restaurantsnews

News Bites: New Menus at ProvidenceG / See Canstruction RI / Tio Mateo’s Mexican Grille & Greenwich Bay Gourmet

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

The ProvidenceG and New Corporate Executive Chef Robert Sisca Announce New Menus and Launch of Weekend Brunch Beginning on Easter

Chef Sisca infuses menus with unique vision and passion for the freshest seasonal ingredients

Hamachi crudo finished with thinly sliced sweet Asian pears at Garde

Hamachi crudo finished with thinly sliced sweet Asian pears at Garde

Spring is in the air, inspiring new culinary creations at the ProvidenceG,​ a​long with the launch of a Saturday and Sunday brunch series beginning on Easter! With new Corporate Executive Chef Robert Sisca at the helm of ProvidenceG’s three differentiated restaurant venues – G​arde,​ R​ooftop at the ProvidenceG​ and G​Pub​ – guests will experience refreshed menus. At Garde, a special prix fixe Easter brunch celebration will introduce its new weekend brunch series, crafted and executed through the collaborative efforts of Sisca, Executive Chef Christopher Nardoza and Sous Chef Michael Haigh.

An award-winning chef who recently joined the ProvidenceG team after nearly seven years as executive chef of Boston’s renowned Bistro du Midi and five years at the Michelin three-star restaurant Le Bernardin, Sisca is excited to unveil new menus for Garde, Rooftop at the ProvidenceG, and GPub, as well as new offerings such as a lively and elevated brunch at Garde with “something for everyone.”

Weekend Brunch Series at Garde Begins Easter Sunday

Garde is offering a brunch feast on Easter Sunday. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 27, guests can select from a three-course prix fixe brunch menu featuring exclusive Easter fare in addition to new menu items for $29. A preview of Garde’s weekend brunch series begins next Saturday, April 2. The selection includes smoked white asparagus soup followed by duck confit French toast and a luscious salted caramel cheesecake. With nine entrées to choose from, additional brunch sides like house smoked bacon and savory duck fat potatoes available, and special cocktails like Bloody Marys, Bellinis and Mimosas, Garde offers a wide range of treats to enjoy on Easter Sunday.

Chef’s secret for the Easter holiday? “I think of lamb when I think of Easter so I created a number of ways for guests to enjoy it during our brunch,” said Sisca. “Our brisket burger, for example, comes with lamb bacon while our rye cavatelli is prepared with a lamb neck ragout. We also offer lamb tartare as a first course item.”

Please call​ (401) 6​32-4799​ or reserve online at o​pentable.com/garde-de-la-mer ​for Easter Brunch or upcoming brunches offered every Saturday and Sunday, beginning on April 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

New Menu Offerings – Garde

Garde has launched a new menu reflecting Sisca’s first major collaboration with Garde’s kitchen leadership team, including Nardoza and Haigh.

Known for its skillful preparation of French-inspired seafood and meat, Garde – under Sisca’s leadership – will retain its French influence and commitment to sourcing local and native ingredients, while offering a menu that changes seasonally.

“Our goal was to create a menu that was approachable and fun,” said Sisca. “Our new menu allows guests to casually stop by the bar to enjoy charcuterie and cheese or to indulge a bit more with a great dish of hand rolled pasta – an item that will be prepared daily and will play an important role in featuring land and sea offerings at Garde. We’ve also created several vegetarian options for this menu, aiming to satisfy various palate preferences.”

The new menu encourages sharing and exploration with a wide variety of charcuterie and cheese selections, as well as dishes such as lamb tartare paired with a French-inspired mix of vadouvan spices, potato crisps and essential quail egg; and an artful Hamachi crudo finished with thinly sliced sweet Asian pears, almonds, green garlic and black vinegar seaweed crisps. The menu also features exciting new seafood presentations, including Spanish octopus with confit fennel, native littlenecks and bouillabaisse jus; and Mediterranean sea bass with chorizo, broccoli rabe, golden raisins and blood orange. All of Garde’s seafood dishes draw inspiration from seasonal fish and shellfish sourced both from the Mediterranean Sea and local waters.

New Menu Offerings – Rooftop at the ProvidenceG

Rooftop at the ProvidenceG has also launched a new menu that leverages the venue’s appeal as both a culinary and entertainment destination.

“Given the Rooftop’s seventh-story perch offering scenic views of the Providence skyline and year-round status as the only rooftop restaurant and lounge, it was important for us to create a more upscale bar menu that indulges our guests whether they are here in the evening to dine or late night to unwind,” said Sisca. “We also wanted a selection that allows guests to easily enjoy their food while taking in entertainment like our weekend DJ series.”

The new Rooftop menu offers small and large plates, including a new charcuterie brick oven pizza topped with etna salumi, coppa, provolone, picante and chili oil; crudo bar; fried calamari and steak frites.

New Menu Offerings – GPub

GPub has launched a refreshed menu.

“I loved the menu at GPub when I joined the ProvidenceG team and wanted ensure a continued vision of seasonality and high quality in a gastropub atmosphere,” said Sisca.

As a result, Sisca and GPub Executive Chef Kevin Robinson have updated the favored Faroe Island salmon, crispy fish sandwich, fish tacos and jalapeno mac & cheese to advance spring flavors; and added new items including croque madame, shrimp ‘n’ grits and steak frites.

Canstruction® RI Returns to Providence Place – Teams to Build Giant Canned Food Sculptures on Saturday

Building Competition Benefits the R.I. Community Food Bank

WHO: Local Teams Comprised of Architects, Engineers and Construction Contractors

WHEN: The exhibit runs through Friday, March 25. Sculptures are then “de-canstructed” for delivery of thousands of cans of food to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank.

WHERE: The Providence Place Skybridge Concourse

WHAT: The sixth biennial Canstruction® RI competition featuring colossal sculptures designed and built entirely from full cans of food. The media is encouraged to visit the Providence Place Concourse between 10 and 11 a.m. to view the teams’ progress on the sculptures as well as interview participants.

The competition features awards selected by a panel of independent jurors, and the opportunity for teams to submit photos of winning sculptures to the international competition (www.canstruction.org). The juried award categories are Best Meal, Best Use of Labels, Structural Integrity and Jurors’ Favorite as well as up to two Honorable Mentions. Viewers may vote for the local “People’s Choice” award at www.rifoodbank.org.

This year’s Canstruction® RI teams include employees and members of:

  • Construction Leadership Council of the R.I. Chapter of Associated General Contractors, Providence
  • Dimeo Construction Co., Providence, and Edward Rowse Architects Inc., Providence
  • Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels Architects, Providence; Odeh Engineers, Providence; Parker Construction Co., East Providence; and Herrick & White Architectural Woodworkers, Cumberland
  • Gilbane Building Co. and Brewster Thornton Group Architects, both Providence companies
  • LLB Architects, Pawtucket, and Shawmut Design and Construction, Providence
  • Saccoccio & Associates, Cranston; DiPrete Engineering, Providence; and H. V. Collins Co., Providence.

WHY: Currently, the Food Bank serves about 60,000 Rhode Islanders each month through a network of 167 non-profit hunger relief agencies. These include food pantries, shelters, youth programs and senior centers across the state. One in three of those served is a child under 18, and one in five is an adult over the age of 60.

Tio Mateo’s Mexican Grille & Greenwich Bay Gourmet Announce New Location

Tio Mateo’s and Greenwich Bay Gourmet announce the opening of their new location at 70 Cliff Street in the heart of historic East Greenwich. Tio Mateo’s and Greenwich Bay Gourmet combine the best of two restaurants under one roof.

Tio Mateo’s Mexican Grille has a menu of burritos, enchiladas, tacos and quesadillas prepared with recipes from Tio’s original chefs from Hidalgo, Mexico. Also featured are specialties such as street tacos, pork Colorado and Chiles Rellenos con pollo .

Greenwich Bay Gourmet is the popular all-day kitchen with signature sandwiches, soups and salads. Catering is also available.

Owner Ross DiSegna says: “Our mission is to provide fresh, healthy, authentic food at a fast pace. We make everything from scratch, and whether you sit down or take out, we strive to make our customers feel like family. Greenwich Bay Gourmet and Tio Mateo’s are a work in constant progress.

“We are excited to keep evolving, and we thank you for taking this journey with us!”

Hours are 10:00am to 8:00pm Monday thru Saturday.

Patrons may call 401-886-1973 or visit tios-gbg.com.

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chefs & restaurantsnewswine & drinks

News Bites: RI Community Food Bank Canstruction 2014, The Savory Affair Food and Wine Tours, RI Hospitality Association News

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian
Canstruction 2014

Canstruction 2014

Current news releases—Eat Drink RI is not the source for these items—please follow any links for more information.

Rhode Island Community Food Bank

Canstruction® Returns!
Exhibit made from canned food benefits RI Food Bank
Free exhibit runs March 8 – 21 at Providence Place Skybridge Concourse

Like a vision from a childhood dream, massive sculptures made entirely from non-perishable food will rise from the imagination of gifted architects this March at Providence Place on the Skybridge Concourse. This ambitious project, known as Canstruction®, makes an appearance every two years, thanks to the inspiration and sweat equity of dozens of professional architects, builders and volunteers. This year’s free exhibit will be open to the public Saturday, March 8 through Friday, March 21 during regular mall hours. They will be assembled on the morning of March 8 – dubbed Build Day – and the public is invited to watch it happen.

When the exhibit closes, the building materials – thousands of pounds of healthy food – will be picked up by the Rhode Island Community Food Bank to help feed the 68,000 people served every month through its network of food pantries.

The Canstruction® RI sculptures will be evaluated by a panel of independent jurors. Awards will be presented for Best Meal, Best Use of Labels, Structural Ingenuity, Jurors’ Favorite, and Honorable Mention.Viewers may vote for the local “People’s Choice” award.

The seven teams competing include:

  • Construction Leadership Council of the R.I. Chapter of Associated General Contractors, Providence
  • Dimeo Construction Co. and Vision 3 Architects, both based in Providence
  • Durkee, Brown, Viveiros & Werenfels Architects, Providence, GTECH Corporation, Providence, Herrick & White, Cumberland, and Odeh Engineers, Providence
  • Gilbane Building Co., Providence, and Jo Ann Bentley Architect, Inc., Fall River
  • LLB Architects, Pawtucket, Shawmut Design and Construction, Providence, and Fuzion Design, Pawtucket
  • Northeast Collaborative Architects, Newport and Providence, Veri-Waterman Associates, Providence, Building Engineering Resources LLC, North Easton , Mass., and Kasabian Construction Inc., Providence
  • Saccoccio & Associates, DiPrete Engineering and E. Turgeon Construction Corp., all based in Cranston

The Savory Affair

Boutique Event Planning Firm Announces Personalized Food and Wine Tours Providing Exclusive Access to the Best of Napa Valley and Tuscany

The Savory Affair, New England’s premier boutique event planning and design firm, today announced two extraordinary food and wine travel experiences for 2014. Combining the unparalleled service of The Savory Affair with the vineyard connections and wine knowledge of sister-company, The Savory Grape, each trip offers a personalized, behind-the-scenes look at the epicurean worlds of Napa Valley, California and the Tuscany region of Italy.

The Napa Valley trip is August 1 – 6, 2014, a perfect time of year to escape the heat of the East Coast and enjoy the comfortable temperatures of Northern California. In order to provide a more tailored, individualized experience, this trip will host only 10 guests and be personally guided by The Savory Affair and The Savory Grape proprietor, Jessica Granatiero.

“This will be an amazing opportunity to go behind the scenes to meet the families and vintners, while learning more about the intricate process of winemaking,” stated Granatiero. “From the accommodations to the daily itineraries, we have designed a first-class experience and will show you Napa in a way few experience.”

Accommodations will be provided by Andaz, a luxury boutique hotel in downtown Napa and walking distance to many great shopping and restaurants.

The Napa trip includes:

  • 5 night, 6-day stay in the Andaz Napa
  • Breakfast daily in the Andaz Farmer’s Table Restaurant
  • Lunch daily, except travel days
  • 2 organized group dinners-welcome dinner at Carpe Diem and closing dinner at the home of Rob & Kat MacDonald
  • Hands-on, interactive pesto-making demonstration and class with wine, at the Culinary Institute of America
  • Insider visits, tours and tastings at six different vineyards
  • Transport to and from all vineyard activities and dinner

Two months following the Napa experience, Granatiero is partnering with Chef Kaitlyn Roberts, founder & owner of Easy Entertaining Inc. for Savorying Italy tour of Tuscany that promises to be an insider’s guide to the best vineyards and dining in Italy. Guests will experience an epicurean education with cooking classes and wine tours lead by Chef Roberts and Granatiero.

The six night, six-city tour will start on October 5, 2014, with guests arriving at the Villa Daniella Grossi, a restored 17th century luxury villa located in the hills of Lucca, on the morning of October 6. The trip includes an elaborate breakfast each morning prepared by Chef Roberts, followed by a tour and tasting at top Tuscan vineyard lead by Granatiero. Each afternoon, guests will return to Villa Daniella Grossito enjoy hands-on cooking and wine pairing lessons from Chef Roberts and Granatiero. At night, guests will dine on five gourmet dinners, including three at the villa with custom wine pairings, two off-site in the city of Lucca and one in the beautiful city of Florence.

The Savory Affair has been organizing and hosting unique local, national and international travel experiences for two years with great success and rave review.

“We’ve had the pleasure of traveling with The Savory Affair on their Napa Valley trip last year,” stated Caroline Corrente. “They blend their extensive relationships within the wine industry with first-class planning expertise to provide a one-of-a-kind trip you can get on your own or with a large travel agency.”

To view a downloadable brochure for either trip, visit www.thesavoryaffair.com/vineyards/. To book your reservations please contact Ann Petronio, at Annie’s Escapes Custom Travel Planning at 401-270-4834.

RI Hospitality Association

Rhode Island Restaurant Industry Expected to Post Growth in 2014 Despite Sustained Challenges
Restaurant Industry to Create 3,100 Jobs in the Next Decade

The RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) is pleased to announce that the State’s restaurant industry is expected to post 2.3% growth in 2014 to reach $1,980,821,000 in sales, according to the National Restaurant Association’s (NRA) 2014 Restaurant Industry Forecast. Rhode Island restaurants will employ 50,600 next year and create an additional 3,100 jobs in the next decade.

“These new numbers represent a very positive outlook for the restaurant industry in Rhode Island,” said Dale Venturini, President and CEO of RIHA. “Despite many obstacles over the past several years, it appears that we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”

2014 will mark the fifth consecutive year of restaurant industry sales growth nationally despite a continued challenging economic landscape. Overall, industry sales are projected to exceed $683 billion in 2014, up 3.6 percent from 2013’s sales volume of $659 billion.

2014 will also mark the 15th straight year in which restaurant industry employment growth will outpace overall employment growth. The industry will continue to be the nation’s second largest private employer with 990,000 restaurants employing 13.5 million individuals or 10 percent of the total workforce. The NRA expects restaurants to add 1.3 million new positions in the next decade, pushing industry employment to 14.8 million by 2024.

“As our nation continues its road to recovery, the restaurant industry will remain a key driver of economic growth and a leading jobs creator,” said Dawn Sweeney, President and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “Restaurants touch every community across the U.S., and 2014 will be a year of growth and innovation as the industry focuses on inspired new ways to meet consumer demand while providing valuable careers to millions of Americans.”

While the restaurant industry is expected to grow in 2014, operators will continue to face a range of challenges. The top challenges cited by restaurateurs vary slightly by industry segment, and include government regulations, food costs, labor costs, and the economy.

For more information about the NRA’s 2014 Restaurant Industry Forecast, visit Restaurant.org/Forecast.

Cumberland restaurant veteran Bahjat Shariff elected to the National Restaurant Association’s Board of Directors.

Cumberland restaurant veteran Bahjat Shariff elected to the National Restaurant Association’s Board of Directors.

Cumberland Resident and Restaurateur Appointed to National Restaurant Association Board of Directors

The RI Hospitality Association (RIHA) is proud to announce that fellow board member and Cumberland resident and restaurateur Bahjat Shariff has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the National Restaurant Association (NRA). The NRA board consists of roughly 100 voting directors from across the country, representing every facet of the restaurant industry.

Shariff brings an extensive background of restaurant knowledge and management skills to his new role. He is currently an Operating Partner and Sr. Vice President of Operations for Howley Bread Group, a Panera Bread franchise. Shariff helped form Howley Bread Group in 2000, which now owns and operates more than 20 bakery-cafes in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and southeastern Massachusetts with plans to expand to 35 bakery-cafes by 2015.

“This is an incredible accomplishment for Bahjat and I couldn’t think of a more deserving person to be elected to this board,” said Dale J. Venturini, President and CEO of RIHA. “His experience will be an invaluable asset and I am proud to have him representing Rhode Island and the industry at the national level.”

Shariff began his career in the hospitality industry in 1985 at Kentucky Fried Chicken after his family moved to Los Angeles from worn-torn Lebanon. It wasn’t long before he was promoted to Market Manager, managing 22 stores with a sales volume of more than $22 million. Shariff continued to climb the corporate ladder, later working for Au Bon Pain as an Operation Service Manager and at Bertucci’s as a Regional Manager in northern New England managing the company’s most successful franchise with a sales volume of over $25 million.

Shariff has been on the RIHA board of directors since 2011 and is also a current member of the Economic Development Committee for the City of Cranston and Past Chairman of the Board of the Cranston (RI) Chamber of Commerce. He also volunteers his time as a member of the Early Childhood Council for Children’s Friend & Services in Providence, spending his time to better the lives of underprivileged children in Rhode Island. He resides in Cumberland with his wife and four children.

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