hospitality

Diego Rico of East Greenwich, RI

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

Kids Camp Provides Life Changing Experience

Diego Rico is a triplet with two sisters who is very shy and enjoys cooking. Last summer, his father enrolled just him in Fit2cook4Kids for an individualized camp experience apart from his sisters. The rest is history. Diego blossomed at camp, showing a focus and skill level well above his 14 years. “Diego was a star camper who impressed everyone with his can do, get the meal prepped, cooked and plated attitude” commented Sharyn Singer, camp Chef. “While most campers make progress with each day, Diego soared like an eagle through the kitchen and it was a beautiful thing to watch” she added.

For many kids, summer camp can be a life altering experience. Fit2cook will host cooking camps in Providence plus North and South Kingstown this summer. Parents of kids in grades 3 – 8 will learn to prepare delicious family meals, stay fit and communicate for success. Providence camps will be held in a commercial kitchen located at Temple Beth-El on the East Side. Chef and author Normand Leclair will be the lead chef at the North and South Kingstown camps.

Kids who have attended two or more camps can apply for the Fit2cook leadership program for the position of souschef to mentor younger campers and practice leadership skills. Information and registration can be found at Fit2cook4Kids.org or by calling 401-294-6800.

Johnson & Wales University Student International Pastry Team Turns Chocolate to Gold

First Place and Gold Medal at Decadence National Student Pastry Competition

Johnson & Wales University (JWU) Baking and Pastry students Frank Carrieri (Lindenhurst, N.Y.), Kristina Browning (Pawtucket, R.I.), and Emily Donlon (Clifton, Va.) turned chocolate into gold, eh? Members of the university’s Student International Pastry Team; they earned a first place gold medal at Niagara College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute’s prestigious international student pastry competition called Decadence.

Students from Canada and the United States competed in the competition that showcases just two ingredients: chocolate and icewine. JWU’s faculty coaches were Chefs Tim Brown (Cumberland, R.I.) and Stacy Mirabello (Boston, Mass.). Other participating colleges were: Fleming College (Ontario), Niagara College (Ontario), and The Pennsylvania School of Culinary Arts (Pennsylvania).

The JWU team impressed the judges with a chocolate showpiece, chocolate entremets, molded and enrobed bon bons, and three individual desserts that were created and completed over the course of the two-day competition.

THE TEAM

• Frank Carreiri: a senior majoring in Baking & Pastry Arts and Foodservice Management, Frank will earn a Bachelor of Science degree in May 2015. He is a 2012 graduate of Lindenhurst Senior High School, Lindenhurst, N.Y.
• Kristina Browning: a senior majoring in Baking & Pastry Arts, Kristina will earn her Bachelor of Science degree in May 2015. A 2012 graduate of William E. Tolman High School, she is the daughter of Stuart and Cindy Browning of Pawtucket, R.I.
• Emily Donlon (alternate): a senior majoring in Baking & Pastry Arts, Emily will earn her Bachelor of Science degree in February 2016. A 2011 graduate of Centreville High School, she is the daughter of Jim and Sandy Donlon of Clifton, Va.

THE UNIVERSITY
Founded in 1914, Johnson & Wales University is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution with more than 16,000 graduate, undergraduate and online students at its four campuses in Providence, R.I.; North Miami, Fla.; Denver, Colo.; and Charlotte, N.C. An innovative educational leader, the university offers degree programs in arts and sciences, business, culinary arts, education, nutrition, hospitality, physician assistant studies, engineering and design. Its unique model integrates arts and sciences and industry-focused education with work experience and leadership opportunities, inspiring students to achieve professional success and lifelong personal growth. The university’s impact is global, with alumni from 119 countries pursuing careers worldwide. For more information, visit www.jwu.edu.

Nightclub & Bar Media Group Partners with Johnson & Wales University for Student Fellowship Award

Unique Award Recognizes and Supports Students Interested in a Career in the Hospitality Industry

Nightclub & Bar Media Group is partnering with Johnson & Wales University for a second time to host the Student Fellowship Award. Dedicated to fostering growth of aspiring hospitality industry professionals, the Award seeks to honor individuals who have a strong educational background and hands-on experience in the food and beverage industry, as well as a desire to gain further knowledge and insight into their future careers.

At the completion of the selection process, two students will be named Nightclub & Bar Student Fellows. The Fellows will be provided admission to the Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show in Las Vegas, Nevada with three nights lodging and a $400.00 stipend to defray the costs of travel and expenses. The selected Student Fellows will also be featured on Nightclub.com and will be celebrated during an awards ceremony at the upcoming 2015 Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show, March 30 – April 1.

“The first recipients of the Fellowship have described it as the opportunity of a lifetime. We are grateful to Nightclub & Bar for their continued commitment in providing this opportunity for our students,” said Brian J. Warrener, Associate Professor.

Last year Tommy Seto, a 2014 Johnson & Wales graduate, ended his college career by winning the Fellowship and traveling to Las Vegas for the 2014 Nightclub & Bar Show. “To get so many talented industry professionals with such creative ideas to continuously attempt to improve our industry was a defining memory for me,” Seto tells Nightclub & Bar. “Everything I learned at the Nightclub & Bar Show is being utilized in some way in my career. I continue to go on the website and read new articles once a week to help me improve in my profession and to try and stay up to date with the latest news. This opportunity to go to the Nightclub & Bar Show is a privilege that all students should apply for if they have the passion.”

Nightclub & Bar is also embracing new and upcoming hospitality professionals with their Entrepreneurs Awards Program and annual Top 100 List. The mission of the Entrepreneurs Awards program is to seek and reward emerging small businesses producing innovative products for the nightlife industry, and the top 3 companies will also receive a booth at the 2015 Nightclub & Bar Show with a chance to personally show Jon Taffer their industry-changing innovation. Additionally, the Top 100 List serves as the most definitive national list that recognizes America’s highest-performing nightlife venues. It celebrates the top venues with perks such as being published in Nightclub & Bar’s widely-distributed e-newsletters and on Nightclub.com in addition to being honored during the 2015 Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show.