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Joe Allegro

Cox Local Video: Gracie’s Restaurant Hosts No Kid Hungry Fundraiser

by David Dadekian January 13, 2014

This past November, Gracie’s restaurant in Providence hosted a No Kid Hungry fundraiser for Share Our Strength. Gracie’s Executive Chef Matthew Varga and Pastry Chef Melissa Denmark were joined by several guest chefs–Chef Matt Gennuso of Chez Pascal in Providence, Chef Keith Luce of The Square in Greenport, New York and Evan Mallett of the Black Trumpet Bistro in Portsmouth, New Hampshire–to prepare the evening’s cocktail reception and multi-course dinner. Wines from Jonathan Edwards Winery in North Stonington, Connecticut were paired with the chefs’s dishes.

All ticket proceeds, as well as a live auction with items offered by the chefs and Eat Drink RI, were donated to the cause of ending childhood hunger in America. Hunger is widespread; one in five children in this country experience hunger. Long term hunger reduces a child’s ability to learn, can contribute to emotional problems, and impacts the child’s overall health. Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign is ending childhood hunger in America by ensuring all children get the healthy food they need, every day.

Take a look at scenes from the evening and please check out nokidhungry.org to see how you can help end childhood hunger in America.

Cox Presents Eat Drink RI with David Dadekian is a video series produced by Cox Sports Online to showcase the vibrant and friendly food community in the Rhode Island area. Check out coxsportsonline.com for more local programming.

January 13, 2014 0 comment

chefs & restaurants news

Gracie’s hosts the region’s most celebrated chefs for dinner benefiting Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign – UPDATED

by guest October 16, 2013

written by guest

The chefs for the No Kid Hungry Providence Dinner (from left to right): Keith Luce, Matthew Varga, Evan Mallett, Matt Gennuso and Melissa Denmark

Gracie’s hosts the region’s most celebrated chefs for dinner benefiting Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign

On November 11, the region’s most celebrated chefs will gather at Gracie’s to prepare a multi-course dinner for a cause: ending childhood hunger in the United States. This is the second time the AAA Four Diamond award-winning restaurant will partner with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® campaign to support its efforts to ensure every child has the healthy food they need, every day.

Gracie’s own Chef Matthew Varga and Pastry Chef Melissa Denmark will be joined by chefs Keith Luce of Main Restaurant, Greenport, NY; Evan Mallett of Black Trumpet Bistro, Portsmouth, NH; and Matt Gennuso of Chez Pascal, Providence, RI. The theme for the dinner is a focus on seasonal root vegetables.

“Roots are not always visible, but they are the most important part of every living thing,” said Varga. We are helping to build a foundation from which children can grow – access to nutrient rich foods to feed their bodies and minds, a strong support system to guide them every step of the way, and an education to ensure they have the knowledge to make our world a better place.”

Guests will enjoy a one of a kind dining experience and by doing so, help to raise funds for Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign.

“Our featured chefs are dedicated to the No Kid Hungry campaign and have participated in many dinners,” said Ellen Slattery, proprietor of Gracie’s and Ellie’s Bakery. “This is the second dinner we’ve hosted at Gracie’s. The first was in 2007 and we are so proud to once again partner with the organization and to showcase the incredible collaboration and culinary talents of the chefs involved.”

Reservations may be made at http://ce.strength.org/events/no-kid-hungry-providence-dinner or through Joe Allegro at joeallegro@strength.org or 917-834-5335. RSVP required, space is limited.

About Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry® Seated Dinners:

Share Our Strength’s national series of No Kid Hungry dinners are hosted by renowned chefs who join together with their peers to prepare multi-course meals with a cause: ending childhood hunger in the United States. Select events feature guest speakers and unique culinary, travel and lifestyle auctions. Since 2005, Share Our Strength dinners have raised nearly $7 million to support the work of the No Kid Hungry campaign, including starting and improving school breakfast programs, recruiting summer meals sites and teaching families how to shop for and prepare healthy meals on a limited budget. To learn more about the No Kid Hungry campaign and dinner series, please visit NoKidHungry.org.

October 16, 2013 0 comment

chefs & restaurants news

Share Our Strength A Tasteful Pursuit Dinner at Al Forno in Providence, RI

by David Dadekian March 5, 2010

written by David Dadekian

from left to right: Chef Champe Speidel of Persimmon, Chef Walter Potenza of Walter's Ristorante d'Italia, Chef Jose Duarte of Taranta Restaurant, Chef David Reynoso of Al Forno, Chef Andrew Shotts of Garrison Confections and Chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia

Monday evening, March 1, was a Share Our Strength A Tasteful Pursuit dinner in Providence, hosted at Al Forno. Share Our Strength has a plan to end childhood hunger by 2015. It’s a great organization with a clearly wonderful goal. Please visit their web site to learn more and to donate. There were too many delicious things served over the course of the evening to list them all. A few are pictured here. I wish I had more of Chef Tony Mantuano‘s Hors D’ouevres. The Mini Sopresada Puffs and Duck Pinchos with Harissa and Sumac were perfect bites full of flavor. Chef Walter Potenza‘s Pasticcio con “Stracotto” di Vitello e Fonduta was deliciously heavy—a perfect mix of veal, pasta & cheese.

If I had to pick a single item that I loved it would be Chef Champe Speidel‘s Braised Lamb Rillette. His entire dish was great, but that Rillette was perfect. I definitely would have devoured more of that. I also want to mention the wines selected by M.S. Walker‘s Michael Lester. Lester often makes great selections, but it’s rare that two wines in one evening really stand out for me. These were the Produttori del Barbaresco Torre 2005 and the Jaboulet Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge “Les Cedres” 2005.