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Kate Masury

Chef Benjamin Sukle Cooking at Wild Harmony Farm on Sept. 4, 2019, photo from Eat Drink RI
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News Bites: Oberlin’s Chef Sukle Opening New Spot and Announces Move / Rhody Feeding Rhody Awarded USDA Grant / Rory’s Market Launces Fresh Produce Program

by David Dadekian November 14, 2022
written by David Dadekian

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


Chef/Owner Benjamin Sukle Announces New Restaurant, Gift Horse, to Open this Spring; Additionally, Oberlin will move to new location, directly across the street this Summer

Chef Benjamin Sukle Cooking at Wild Harmony Farm on Sept. 4, 2019, photo from Eat Drink RI
Chef Benjamin Sukle Cooking at Wild Harmony Farm on Sept. 4, 2019, photo from Eat Drink RI

Chef/Owner Benjamin Sukle of Oberlin (which opened in 2016) in Providence, Rhode Island, will be opening a new restaurant this Spring 2023, Gift Horse (address: 272 Westminster Street). The tongue and cheek saying which the restaurant borrows its name should offer a preview to the eccentric, playful tone the team hopes to achieve. With a strong focus on local shellfish, seafood, and catches from New England waters via raw bar dining in a style distinctive of Chef Sukle’s approach to seasonality, as well as the cultivated relationships he has with farmers and fishermen alike. One unique distinction is the oysters featured on the menu will predominantly be harvested from different bays around the state or within very close proximity.*  The beverage program will feature an expanded wine list, and highlight low ABV cocktails as well–think creative takes on Spritzes inspired by the Mediterranean coast. *More info on oyster programming available. 

Additionally, Oberlin which is currently located at 186 Union Street in downtown Providence will move directly across the street to a new location this Summer to 266 Westminster Street. The team plans to close the restaurant for a brief time to anticipate and prepare for the new location’s opening. Benjamin and team will expand hours of operation to add lunch and brunch service. The change of location promises to continue to offer the same experience diners have come to expect in the past six years, along with many added amenities including a new wood-burning oven–which will serve as the heart of the restaurant influencing respective seafood and vegetables dishes alike–a larger wine cellar and bar program, and overall more expansive footprint with additional seating, along with options for private dining and catering. The new location–being adjacent to Grant’s Block Park–allows for an expansive outdoor patio and bar, which will be weather proofed with a retractable roof and heaters to extend seasonal dining. Longtime general manager, Bethany Caliaro, will join as a partner in the restaurants as well.


“Rhody Feeding Rhody Alliance” Gets The Greenlight From USDA

Rhode Island Food Policy Council awarded $498K grant to fortify RI’s emergency food network while supporting local farms and fisheries

Movement Ground Farm in Tiverton, Rhode Island, photo courtesy of RI Food Policy Council

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council has been awarded a $498K grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) to launch the “Serving the Food Insecure Market: Connecting Rhode Island Farmers and Fishermen with Our Emergency Feeding Network” project. Implementation partners include Farm Fresh RI, Southside Community Land Trust, and the Commercial Fisheries Center of RI The Rhody Feeding Rhody Alliance will work with emergency food providers to build sustainable market channels between local farmers and fishers and Rhode Island residents in need of  fresh, local, culturally-appropriate food.

This project was strongly supported by Rhode Island’s Congressional Delegation. A joint letter of support was signed by U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Rep. Jim Langevin and Rep. David Cicilline.

“This federal funding will help feed the hungry and expand opportunities for local food producers and businesses.  Rhode Island has amazing food and this collaborative effort will help the Rhode Island Food Policy Council and their partners find new ways to improve marketing, transportation, and distribution of local food and strengthen supply chains for food businesses,” said Senator Reed.

“I’m pleased to have helped secure the funding to stand up the Rhody Feeding Rhody Alliance, an innovative partnership that will connect fresh food from local farmers and fishermen to Rhode Islanders facing food insecurity,” said Whitehouse.  “This initiative will strengthen our food supply chain, boost the market for local agriculture and seafood businesses, and provide healthy food to our neighbors in need.”

“All Rhode Islanders deserve access to safe and nutritious food, which is why I’m so happy to deliver these crucial federal dollars to launch the ‘Rhody Feeding Rhody’ Alliance,” said Rep. Jim Langevin. “This new partnership will establish a critical connection between Rhode Island’s underserved communities and our best-in-class farmers and fishers, so that families experiencing food insecurity can enjoy the fresh produce and seafood produced right here at home.”

“Congratulations to the Rhode Island Food Policy Council and all of the tremendous local organizations who will be partnering for the Rhody Feeding Rhody Alliance,” said Congressman Cicilline. “I was thrilled to advocate to USDA for this innovative project. This effort will build a more resilient food system that not only addresses food insecurity but also supports our local producers and growers. It’s a win for our farmers and fishers and helps our vulnerable neighbors.”

Eva Agudelo, Farm Fresh RI’s Hope’s Harvest Executive Director, notes “This funding strengthens the work Farm Fresh RI does to bring millions of servings of locally grown and caught products into the emergency food market. “USDA programs like LFPP help us put our trucks, coolers, and dedicated staff in service to meeting the needs of Rhode Island farmers and our neighbors who struggle with food insecurity.”

“Add up the costs of healthy food, housing, child care, utilities – everything families need to succeed.  It’s all too expensive relative to income levels. Until this problem is fixed, SCLT will work through this program with USDA and our local partners to help hundreds of families in need serve up fresh produce grown right here by 40 small scale, sustainable urban and rural farmers.” says Margaret DeVos, Executive Director, Southside Community Land Trust

“This project will help to build on unique initiatives to connect local products to the emergency food system during a time of increasing need.” says Fred Mattera, Executive Director of Commercial Fisheries Center of RI, “For the Commercial Fisheries Center, this funding allows us to greatly expand and streamline access to nutritious local seafood among communities in need while helping to support our vibrant fishing industry.”

“Local seafood is an abundant resource in Rhode Island, an important part of a healthy diet, and is also a fundamental part of our culinary traditions for so many people in our community and yet still many people don’t have access to it.” says Kate Masury, Executive Director of Eating with the Ecosystem, “This funding will help Eating with the Ecosystem and the Commercial Fisheries Center of Rhode Island support seafood businesses in providing local seafood to the emergency food system and sharing this delicious and healthy resource with people in need.”

“Access to safe and healthy food is a key determinant of health at the individual level and the community level. This grant will be critical to the Rhode Island Food Policy Council’s work to ensure this access for Rhode Islanders in every ZIP code throughout the state,” said Utpala Bandy, MD, MPH, Interim Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. “We thank the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Local Food Promotion Program for their partnership, and we look forward to the vital collaborations with our community partners that these funds will support for years to come.”

“Both Rhode Island’s emergency feeding network and local food producers experienced massive disruptions and challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rhody Feeding Rhody initiative will deepen supply chain connections between these stakeholders, helping to build the kind of resilient and regional food system we envision in our state food plan “Relish Rhody” says Juli Stelmaszyk, RI State Director of Food Strategy

RIFPC’s project builds on a successful planning grant awarded by USDA in 2020 which piloted connections between 25 RI farmers and fishers. Now, 80 RI farmers and fishers (at least 9 of whom are from historically underserved communities, 

The new, 3-year grant will enable RIFPC and partners to build information exchanges, infrastructure, and ordering systems that will benefit these local businesses and RI emergency food providers alike. Mutually-agreed upon product, price and delivery specifications will build greater confidence and offer lower risk to food producers and harvesters. 

The Rhody Feeding Rhody Alliance will identify pathways to financial viability, enhancing and growing the wholesale market for 50+ locally-grown agricultural products as well as growing wholesale markets for 30+ locally-harvested, wild-caught seafood in the emergency food system. The Council will measure and evaluate project impacts, using findings to continually improve program operations and advocate for sustainable funding. As a result, the local emergency feeding system will become a larger, more reliable wholesale market for local producers and harvesters while also becoming more resilient to supply chain shocks from public health emergencies and climate-related disasters.

To learn more about the Rhody Feeding Rhody Alliance, email info@rifoodcouncil.org.


Rory’s Market And Kitchen Launches Pound For Pound Fresh Produce Program November 2022 In Downtown Providence

Rory’s Customer Shopping for Organic Produce, photo courtesy of Rory’s

Rory’s Market + Kitchen and UNFI Produce & Fresh Co. have partnered to expand the Pound for Pound program originally initiated in 2019 at the company’s Cape Cod stores to include Rory’s new location in downtown Providence. 

Throughout the month of November, select produce will be on sale at all Rory’s Market + Kitchen locations. For every pound of eligible produce purchased by Rory’s customers, Rory’s will donate a pound to the community’s local food bank. 

At the company’s Dennis Port and Mashpee locations, the weight of purchased produce will be donated to the Family Pantry of Cape Cod. Purchases made at Rory’s in downtown Providence will contribute to poundage donated to the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. No monetary donations are required to participate; customers simply purchase at Rory’s and know they will be supporting members of their local community in need.

“Food insecurity affects every community, and fresh produce is often an area that food banks are lacking in donation or supply,” says Rory Eames, owner and namesake of Rory’s. “We are committed to using our purchasing power to help increase access to fresh, quality produce to our local communities.”

At the conclusion of the program, Rory’s will purchase the fresh produce in highest demand by the food banks which will then be delivered to drop locations at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and the Family Pantry of Cape Cod. 

“The Food Bank is so appreciative of the generosity of Rory’s Market and its customers,” shared Lisa Roth Blackman, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s Chief Philanthropy Officer. “The need for food assistance in Rhode Island has increased dramatically. Our member agencies are serving 63,000 people per month – an increase of 20% from last year. This donation from Rory’s will help us meet the demand for healthy, fresh produce – an important part of our distribution.

November 14, 2022 0 comment
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chefs & restaurantsnews

News Bites: Eating with the Ecosystem Scales & Tales Dinner Series / Evelyn’s Drive-In 30th Anniversary Season / PVD Food Truck Events / RI Community Food Bank Letter Carriers Drive Results

by David Dadekian May 16, 2017
written by David Dadekian

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

Eating with the Ecosystem presents Scales & Tales, a Seasonal Fundraising Dinner Series

Eating with the Ecosystem Scales & Tales 2017 Dinner Series

Eating with the Ecosystem is partnering with Eat Drink RI to present a series of educational dinners at local restaurants to promote their mission of creating a place based approach to sustaining New England’s wild seafood. These upscale, seasonal dinners will be fundraisers for their Scales & Tales Mobile Food Boat program.

The Scales & Tales Mobile Food Boat is a skiff (a shallow, flat-bottomed open boat) that the team is converting into a mobile education platform, complete with a cooking demo station. Eating with the Ecosystem plans to run free, educational events at farmer’s markets and other public locations showcasing the Food Boat. The goal of these programs is to educate consumers about our local seafood, fisheries, and ecosystems.

The “Scales” part of the dinner series relates to the meal, where guests will enjoy a multi-course experience, paired with wine, beer, or cocktails. The menu will consist of seasonal and abundant local seafood produced by our marine ecosystems. The “Tales” portion of the evening is an education component, with fishermen and scientists sharing stories and digging deeper into Eating with the Ecosystem’s mission in relation to the marine species being served.

Each dinner is $90 per guest, all inclusive, and begins at 6pm with a welcome cocktail reception, followed by a multi-course seated dinner with drinks. To purchase tickets, please visit www.eatdrinkri.com/scalesandtales.

The 2017 Scales & Tales Dinner Series

Monday, June 12th | Statesman Tavern, Bristol | Chef Chris Kleyla
Tuesday, August 29th | Nicks on Broadway, Providence | Chef Derek Wagner
Monday, October 23rd | Easy Entertaining, Providence | Chef Ashley Vanasse


PVD Food Truck Events Announces Spring/Summer 2017 Schedule

Food events throughout Rhode Island seek to bring together community with seasonal food-centric celebrations

PVD Food Truck EventsComing on the heels of a wildly successful 2016 season, PVD Food Truck events has released its 2017 calendar of food events and invites the community to “Come Roll With Us.”  [FoodTrucksIn.com is the national food truck search engine based in Rhode Island.  PVD Food Truck events is its local event planning division.]  Together these brands continue to develop local events throughout the state.  They kick off a robust season of more and new community food events with the first event taking place on April 21st from to 5pm to 8pm with a spring break food truck pop-up event at the Roger Williams Park Carousel Village in Providence.

The month of May brings the return of popular events.  On the first Thursday of every month, food trucks will roll in to various Warwick locations. Warwick food truck night begins on May 4th from 5pm to 8pm at Norwood Library, 328 Pawtuxet Ave.  On May 18th and the third Thursday of every month, food trucks return to Warwick City Hall from 5pm to 8pm.  As Warwick events sometimes alternate locations throughout the city please refer to the website for the most up to date location information.

PVD Food Truck events looks forward to the May 5th return of their signature event- Food Truck Fridays at Roger Williams Park Carousel Village, Providence.  This weekly occurrence has become uber popular for families and foodies alike.  Food Truck Fridays are hosted by Roger Williams Park Zoo & Carousel Village.  Presented by A.B. Munroe Dairy and Ocean Spray, and sponsored by Power Home Remodeling.

A new stop on the map for PVD Food Truck events includes Woonsocket City Hall’s Market Square Food Truck night’s taking place on May 12 from 5pm to 8pm and then the 1st Friday of the month.

Providence City Hall is the next stop on PVD Food Truck events series with a May 25th return to City Hall.  Food will be served up from 4:30 on and take place every 4th Thursday of the month.

Food Truck Sunday Funday also continue weekly from Noon to 3:00pm at the Hot Club in Providence.

“We are excited to work with Rhode Island’s best local food truck purveyors and will also introduce you to some new and exciting mobile food trucks and cuisines for the 2017 season,” said Eric Weiner, President of FoodTrucksIn.com.  “We have put together a robust calendar of food events that intends to draw individuals together for a shared experience of food, conversation and community.”

A number of food trucks with varying cuisines will be present at each event.  Selections may include barbecue, Asian, taco, grilled cheese and French fry, dessert trucks, gourmet, vegetarian, coffee themed trucks and more.  Select events will also include live entertainment and sale of beer and wine for guests age 21 and over.

Additional food truck events are being planned for later in the summer at Central Falls monthly salsa nights and Cranston’s Mulligan’s Island Full Moon Saturday night events.  A schedule of those events will be released later in the season

PVD Food Truck Events were created in an effort to use food trucks to bring the community together.  Since its inception in spring of 2015, these gatherings have become a weekly occurrence, attracting visitors of all ages to these mobile food events taking place across the state.  There are more than 75 independent food truck vendors serving the Rhode Island community.

Food trucks are also available to serve new locations and assist companies with catering and special events needs.  Visit FoodTrucksIn.com/food-truck-events for more information and to view the most up-to-date listing of events and real-time food truck locations.  Sponsors of the 2017 PVD Food Truck season include Ocean Spray, Motif Magazine, Metro PCS, Munroe Dairy and Moo.com.


Evelyn’s Drive-In Opens for 30th Anniversary Season

Evelyn’s Drive-In owners Jane and Dom Bitto are celebrating their 30th anniversary of owning Tiverton’s iconic roadside seafood stop in 2017, including special pricing on classic shore dining and a big birthday bash in June. Come join the party — Evelyn’s opens for the season today, April 17.

When Jane and Dom first visited Evelyn’s in 1987, Ronald Reagan was president, The Simpsons had just debuted, and the gas that the young couple put in their car for a trip out to the Cape was just 89 cents a gallon. “We took a wrong turn and stopped for lunch, and heard the owner say the restaurant was for sale,” Jane remembers. That happy accident soon led to the young, ambitious couple purchasing Evelyn’s from its namesake founder, who gave the Bittos her recipes and helped them take over the operation of the restaurant in July, 1987.

A lot has changed over the years, and not just gas prices. The Bittos has three children while juggling shifts; all three would eventually work alongside the hundreds of employees who have joined the Evelyn’s family over the years. “We love our staff and they love us back,” says Jane.

Not even a devastating fire in July of 2005 could slow the Bittos down: Evelyn’s came back strong the following year with a newly expanded dining room, thanks in part to local friends and fans who helped raise money for the renovations. That generosity reflected the restaurant’s strong roots in the local community, which includes the Bittos’ founding and sponsorship of the annual Singing Out Against Hunger concerts at Evelyn’s.

Over the years, Evelyn’s has grown from its roots as a simple seafood shack to a full-service restaurant offering a mix of classics like fried clams and fish & chips to serving seven different salads, their famous lobster chow mien (a mashup of two New England favorites lauded by celebrity chef Guy Fieri on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives), and a menu of creative cocktails. In addition to an indoor dining room and picnic-table pavilion for takeout, Evelyn’s also added a waterfront patio right next to the restaurant’s dock, a popular stop for boaters cruising Mount Hope Bay and the East Passage of Narragansett Bay.

For the 2017 season, Evelyn’s is celebrating 30 years with a variety of weekly specials all summer, including $10.99 fish and chips on Mondays, $5 chowder and clam cakes Monday to Thursday, and $30 dinners for two on Wednesdays. The 30th anniversary dinner special includes clam cakes, a glass of beer or wine, and favorites like fish & chips, crab cakes, clam strips, grilled chicken, Mediterranean calamari salad, and beef, shrimp, or chicken chow mien.

The 2017 Singing Out Against Hunger Concerts will be held on three Fridays this summer: July 14, Aug. 11, and Sept. 8. All shows start at 5 p.m.; admission is free. Performers TBA.

Finally, Evelyn’s will throw an invitation-only Anniversary Bash on June 20, 2017 (rain date: June 27). Mark your calendar — more details to come!


25th Annual Letter Carriers Food Drive Collects More Than 60,000 Pounds

Donations of non-perishable food items benefit neighbors in need throughout Rhode Island.

Thanks to many generous Rhode Islanders – and their letter carriers – the Rhode Island Community Food Bank received more than 60,000 pounds of food through the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday, May 13. To put that number in perspective, 60,000 pounds of food provides an estimated 150,000 meals for children and families affected by food insecurity.

For the 25th year, members of National Association of Letter Carrier collected bags of healthy, non-perishable food items left at mailboxes by postal customers. In addition to the 60,000 pounds delivered to the Food Bank, many local pantries received thousands of pounds of food directly from nearby post offices increasing the total amount of food collected.

“We are so thankful to the letter carriers and postal customers who teamed up to collect tens of thousands of pounds of food for Rhode Islanders in need of food assistance – all in one day!” said Andrew Schiff, Chief Executive Officer of the Food Bank. “This food drive is critical to our ability to feed children and families through the spring and into the summer.”

Food donations are always welcomed at the Food Bank and local food pantries. Most-needed items include canned soups and vegetables, peanut butter, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, canned beans, tuna, and healthy cereals. As always, the food collected will be sorted by volunteers who check for use-by dates and damaged packaging.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the event, a national effort to fight hunger. Across the country, partners supporting Stamp Out Hunger include the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), United States Postal Service (USPS), National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association (NRLCA), AFL-CIO, AARP Foundation, UFCW, United Way, Valassis, and Valpak.

May 16, 2017 0 comment
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