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Ed Reposa

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Rhode Island chefs invade Montreal: up-to-the-minute #chefsincanada tweets and Instagram photos

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian

nicksonbroadway Instagram photo

If you love food and you’re an active Twitter or Instagram user you are probably well aware of #chefsincanada. For the third year in a row a group of Rhode Island chefs—Matthew Gennuso of Chez Pascal, Matt Jennings of Farmstead & La Laiterie, Ed Reposa of Thee Red Fez, Jake Rojas of Tallulah on Thames, Beau Vestal of New Rivers and Derek Wagner of Nick’s on Broadway—have taken an exploratory eating expedition to Montreal, Canada. During the trip five of the chefs tweet their adventures and four of them post photos to Instagram as well.

Because not everyone uses these services, but everyone should get the chance to see what the best of Rhode Island’s culinary world are immersing themselves in, Eat Drink RI has installed a couple of apps to share the details with you. The Twitter feed below grabs the twelve most current tweets containing the #chefsincanada hashtag and the seven most recent photos in the Instagram feeds of Jennings, Rojas, Vestal and Wagner are below as well.

These apps will refresh every few minutes so you can reload or return to this page often for the latest posts and photos. I highly suggest you follow all the chefs on Twitter and Instagram, not just for these few days while they are traveling together, but all year-round. You can click on their names in the feed app below to follow.

 

Instagram feed of Matt Jennings matthewjennings (latest seven images, click for larger versions): [instapress userid=”matthewjennings” piccount=”7″ size=”90″]

Instagram feed of Jake Rojas newportchef (latest seven images, click for larger versions): [instapress userid=”newportchef” piccount=”7″ size=”90″]

Instagram feed of Beau Vestal newriversbeau (latest seven images, click for larger versions): [instapress userid=”newriversbeau” piccount=”7″ size=”90″]

Instagram feed of Derek Wagner nicksonbroadway (latest seven images, click for larger versions): [instapress userid=”nicksonbroadway” piccount=”7″ size=”90″]

 

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chefs & restaurantsfarmsnews

News Bites: Aquidneck Honey, Easy Entertaining and Thee Red Fez

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian

Aquidneck Honey

Aquidneck Honey, supplier of pure, raw, local, chemical-free honey, launched an online storefront over the holidays. In addition to some of the best honey I’ve tasted delivered in 1 pound and large quart containers, Aquidneck Honey sells cut honey comb, a number lip balms in assorted flavors and honey straws, which are an excellent treat. Aquidneck Honey also makes up gift baskets with an assortment of their products and other local goods. For a limited time when you make a purchase totalling $50 or more and enter the promo code “hat” you will receive a free Aquidneck Honey baseball cap. If you can’t buy direct from Jeff the Bee Man at several farmers markets and local supermarkets, you can still get your Aquidneck Honey fix at http://aquidneckhoney.com/store.html

Easy Entertaining Inc.

Easy Entertaining Inc., a full-service catering company dedicated to preparing local and fresh food, is launching a Grab and Go Lunch service from their new location inside the Hope Artiste Village at 1005 Main Street in Pawtucket (home to the Pawtucket / Wintertime Farmers’ Market). Take out lunch will be prepared Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. each week and the menu will change weekly. To sign up for a weekly emailed menu, email [email protected] and ask to be added to their weekly lunch menu distribution. For this upcoming first week the offerings include: Roasted Root Vegetable Soup ($3.95), Baffoni Chicken & Rice Soup ($4.95), The Locavore’s Garden salad ($4.95) and The California Skinny Chicken Salad ($6.95). You can view their menu here on Eat Drink RI.

Thee Red Fez

On Friday evening, January 6, Thee Red Fez on Peck St. in Providence turned over their kitchen to James Mark, one of the cooks at Nick’s on Broadway and formerly a cook at Fez and Momofuku Ko in New York, for a late night menu that had been hyped during the days leading up to it with Twitter hashtags of #fezlatenite, #americaisethnic and #DumplingHaus. As you can see from the menu below Mark, along with Fez cook Tim Shulga, prepared a number of dumplings as well as bao, steamed buns that the much-lauded Momofuku Chef David Chang made into one of the hottest food items in New York a few years back. To say Mark nailed it would be an understatement. Everything on the menu was very well done with the standouts for me being the natang dumplings and the two buns.

Not to get all misty, but things like this is why food in our area is leaps and bounds ahead of other U.S. regions. We have talented chefs who make creative, interesting—let’s just say delicious—food, and a population who is willing to support it. Thee Fez sold out of all the late night menu items last night and Mark is doing it again tonight. Plus he told me he’ll be serving ramen this evening as well. If you like great eats and you think you have to go to New York or San Francisco for them, you’re wrong. Get yourself over to Thee Red Fez tonight. A special thanks should be given to Thee Red Fez owner Chef Ed Reposa for aiding and abetting Mark’s menu.

Thee Red Fez late nite menu from guest crook James E. Mark

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Coming Sunday, October 16: Chefs Collaborative RI Farm Picnic

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian
Chef Derek Wagner of Nick's on Broadway gets the picnic bonfire going

Chef Derek Wagner of Nick’s on Broadway gets the picnic bonfire going

On Sunday, October 16, from 4 – 7 p.m., Chefs Collaborative, a non-profit organization that works with chefs and the greater food community to celebrate local foods and foster a more sustainable food supply, is collaborating with some of Rhode Island’s best “farm-to-fork” chefs to promote awareness of local and sustainable ingredients available in the Ocean State. The event Co-Chairs, Chefs Derek Wagner of Nick’s on Broadway in Providence and Jake Rojas of Tallulah on Thames in Newport are teaming up with Chefs Mike McHugh of Julian’s, Ed Reposa of Thee Red Fez, Matthew Varga of Gracie’s and Beau Vestal of New Rivers—all in Providence, Chad Hoffer & Tyler Burnley of TSK (Thames Street Kitchen) in Newport and Eli Dunn of The Beehive Café in Bristol to create a home-style barbecue-themed menu that is locally sourced.

Schartner Farms in Exeter, Rhode Island is where An Autumn Harvest will celebrate local and sustainable food.  The fundraiser is to support Chefs Collaborative & to establish a Rhode Island Chapter of Chefs that can network and represent the state in culinary competitions, dinners, and fundraisers, promoting Rhode Island as a “farm-to-fork” culinary destination. It will also aid Rhode Island chefs in working together with their communities to bring more awareness of buying local and sourcing sustainable products through dinners, events, and programs at each chef’s restaurant.

“This event is so exciting as it’s a collaboration of chefs and patrons from the north part of the state to the south,” said Co-Chair Jake Rojas. Co-Chair Derek Wagner said, “This was by far the most fun event of 2010, and we’re really looking forward to it again this year. We set up right on the farm with open spits and smokers to barbecue, eat, drink and celebrate the local harvest. It’s a small, casual, fun event, truly a picnic meant to honor the farm to fork movement, with dedicated RI chefs, farmers and food lovers!”

“We are very pleased and excited to be working with such a wonderful and forward thinking group of chefs. Not only is the food coming out of Rhode Island delicious, but the chefs cooking for this event really strive to cultivate a vibrant, sustainable community,” said Chefs Collaborate Executive Director Melissa Kogut. Added Chef Vestal, “It’s a great opportunity to cook with friends, have a great time, all the while bringing awareness to the issue of local sustainable food that we all keep close to our heart. It’s a chance for guests to experience great food from their favorite restaurants while supporting Chefs Collaborative, which does so much to support chefs, farmers, and food artisans.”

There will be hayrides for the children, a scavenger hunt, silent auction, food & beverage, music and your favorite “farm-to-fork” chefs to mingle with. Silent Auction items have been donated from chefs such as Matt Jennings of La Laiterie at Farmstead in Providence. It’s a perfect event for families & friends.  Ticket holders are encouraged to bring a blanket for the picnic. The event is $45/adult, $20/children ages 5-13, children under 5 are free. Tickets can be purchased online.

Photos from last year’s event.

Bacon and swordfish from La Laiterie at Farmstead

Bacon and swordfish from La Laiterie at Farmstead

Nick's on Broadway sausages with mustard

Nick’s on Broadway sausages with mustard

Chez Pascal's chicken livers wrapped in bacon

Chez Pascal’s chicken livers wrapped in bacon

James Mark of Nick's on Broadway's in action at the smoker grill

James Mark of Nick’s on Broadway’s in action at the smoker grill

Julian's Chef Mike McHugh (foreground) and Ocean House's Chef Eric Haugen (at back) grilling flatbreads

Julian’s Chef Mike McHugh (foreground) and Ocean House’s Chef Eric Haugen (at back) grilling flatbreads

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chefs & restaurantsnews

New Rivers at Twenty

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian
New Rivers' Chef/Owner Bruce Tillinghast with Executive Chef Beau Vestal

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

Chef Tillinghast with Providence Mayor David Cicilline

Proclamation making Monday, March 15, 2010, New Rivers Day in the City of Providence

Proclamation making Monday, March 15, 2010, New Rivers Day in the City of Providence

Looking up Steeple Street outside New Rivers' door

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

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

warm beef pastrami

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