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StarChefs 2023 Coastal New England Rising Stars
chefs & restaurantsnewswine & drinks

News Bites: StarChefs Announces the 2023 Coastal New England Rising Stars / Hope & Main Hosts RI Pitch Room Competition

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.

StarChefs Announces the 2023 Coastal New England Rising Stars and Rising Stars Restaurant Week

View photos of all the Rhode Island StarChefs 2023 Winners, and some of their work, in a slideshow following the story.

StarChefs, the restaurant industry magazine, announces its 2023 Coastal New England Rising Stars. To celebrate the new class, StarChefs will host a Rising Stars Restaurant Week from September 20 through October 4. The two-week campaign highlights the Rising Stars and gives guests the opportunity to experience the honorees’ signature dishes and drinks. The 2023 class includes 21 food and beverage professionals, recognized by StarChefs not only for their exceptional food and drinks, but also their ability to lead, inspire, and support their local communities.


The Rising Stars Award winners are designated by the StarChefs editorial team based on in-person tastings and interviews. In each market, the editorial team tastes and interviews with more than 100 chefs, pastry chefs, bartenders, sommeliers, restaurateurs, and artisans, ultimately selecting a group of 17 to 25 professionals who best represent the future of American hospitality. Although Rising Stars Awards are given out locally, award winners are evaluated according to a set of national standards. Creativity, ambition, presentation, philosophy, and, of course, delicious food and drink win an individual the designation of a StarChefs Rising Star. The 2023 Coastal New England Rising Stars will be the 83rd class of Rising Stars Award winners and the 2nd class from Coastal New England.


2023 StarChefs Coastal New England Rising Stars Award Winners

CHEFS
Jeremy Broucek of Bread & Friends | Portland, ME
Eric Brown of Thick Neck | Providence, RI
Valerie Goldman of The Honey Paw | Portland, ME
Luke Mersfelder of Bywater | Warren, RI
Nikhil Naiker of Nimki | Providence, RI
Manny Rojas of or, The Whale | Nantucket, MA
Basil Yu of Yagi Noodles | Newport, RI
Neil Zabriskie of REGARDS | Portland, ME

GAME CHANGER
Presented by S.Pellegrino
Celebrates a chef whose leadership is boldly advancing the restaurant industry, whether it’s through boundary-pushing cuisine, an innovative dining format, or a revolutionary business idea.
Scott LaChapelle of Pickerel | Providence, RI

RESTAURATEURS
Presented by Jade Range
Marisa Lewiecki and Jordan Rubin of Bar Futo and Mr. Tuna | Portland, ME
Taylor Oliver and Andrea Solimeo of Pizzeria Gemelle, Ventuno, and Via Mare | Nantucket, MA

COMMUNITY
Presented by Resy
Recognizes professionals who are deeply connected to the local culinary community, dedicate their time to community outreach, and are ultimately catalysts for involving members of the culinary community in important initiatives.
Robert Andreozzi of Pizza Marvin | Providence, RI
Cyle Reynolds of Crispy Gai | Portland, ME

CONCEPT
Nicholas Gillespie of Dune Brothers Seafood | Providence, RI

PASTRY CHEF
Presented by TCHO Chocolate
Georgia Macon of Twelve | Portland, ME

BARTENDERS
Presented by Beam Suntory
Arvid Brown of Room for Improvement | Portland, ME
Britt Simons of The Eddy | Providence, RI

SOMMELIERS
Bethany Caliaro of Gift Horse and Oberlin | Providence, RI
Kelsey Shaw of Bayberry Garden | Providence, RI

MENTOR
Presented by Vitamix Commercial
The 2023 class of Coastal New England Rising Stars anonymously voted on a Mentor Award winner. The award goes
to a chef who supports and inspires young restaurant professionals in their community, while nurturing talent with
generosity, skill, and vision.
Ben Sukle of Gift Horse and Oberlin | Providence, RI

STARCHEFS SUPPORTS
StarChefs is excited to partner with Singer M.Tucker and Chef Jake Rojas of Tallulah’s Taqueria to support
Amos House during Coastal New England Rising Stars Restaurant Week. Since 1976, Amos House has
been a staple of the Rhode Island nonprofit community, serving the homeless, unemployed, and those who
are living in poverty. For every Niman Ranch pork belly carnitas taco sold at Tallulah’s Taqueria during
Rising Stars Restaurant Week, StarChefs will donate $5 to Amos House.

ART OF PRESENTATION
In partnership with Steelite International, the award winners will have the opportunity to win the Rising Stars
Art of Presentation Award. This online content showcases the creativity and art of plating. The winner will
receive $5,000 toward Steelite International products of their choice. Voting will remain open to the public
through Monday, September 18th at 10 A.M. EST.

Rising Stars Supporters
Symrise, Steelite International, Vitamix Commercial, S.Pellegrino, Niman Ranch, Jade Range, TCHO
Chocolate, DemKota Ranch Beef, Singer M.Tucker, Corto Olive Co., Lumina Farms, Beam Suntory, Resy,
Vulcan, GoProvidence, Trentadue Winery, Amos House, Narragansett Brewery

  • Chef Eric Brown of Thick Neck
    Chef Eric Brown of Thick Neck
  • Thick Neck's Roasted Spaghetti Squash Salad, Burnt Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette, Fermented Squash, Parsley Powder
    Thick Neck’s Roasted Spaghetti Squash Salad, Burnt Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette, Fermented Squash, Parsley Powder
  • Chef Luke Mersfelder of Bywater
    Chef Luke Mersfelder of Bywater
  • Bywater's Crudo
    Bywater’s Crudo
  • Chef Nikhil Naiker of Nimki
    Chef Nikhil Naiker of Nimki
  • Nimki's Saina: Fried Spring Green-Lentil Roll, Spring Onion-Carrot Top Powder, Tamarind-Mint Chutney
    Nimki’s Saina: Fried Spring Green-Lentil Roll, Spring Onion-Carrot Top Powder, Tamarind-Mint Chutney
  • Chef Basil Yu of Yagi Noodles
    Chef Basil Yu of Yagi Noodles
  • Yagi Noodles's Tantanman: Sesame Soup, Beef Soboro, Peanuts, Red Cabbage, Edamame, Chile Crisp
    Yagi Noodles’s Tantanman: Sesame Soup, Beef Soboro, Peanuts, Red Cabbage, Edamame, Chile Crisp
  • Chef Scott LaChapelle of Pickerel
    Chef Scott LaChapelle of Pickerel
  • Pickerel's Littleneck Clam Shio Ramen, Hosaki Menma, Chashu Pork Shoulder and Belly
    Pickerel’s Littleneck Clam Shio Ramen, Hosaki Menma, Chashu Pork Shoulder and Belly
  • Chef Robert Andreozzi of Pizza Marvin
    Chef Robert Andreozzi of Pizza Marvin
  • Pizza Marvin's Chowdah Pie: Clams, Potato, Bacon, Herbs
    Pizza Marvin’s Chowdah Pie: Clams, Potato, Bacon, Herbs
  • Chef Nicholas Gillespie of Dune Brothers Seafood
    Chef Nicholas Gillespie of Dune Brothers Seafood
  • Dune Brothers Seafood's Whole Roasted Scup, Black Eyed Peas, Linguiça, Turnip, Peri Peri Mayonnaise, Molho Cru
    Dune Brothers Seafood’s Whole Roasted Scup, Black Eyed Peas, Linguiça, Turnip, Peri Peri Mayonnaise, Molho Cru
  • Bartender Britt Simons of The Eddy
    Bartender Britt Simons of The Eddy
  • The Eddy's Crushed Velvet: Orchard Fruit-Infused Gin, Dry Vermouth, Fino Sherry, Tonic Syrup, Lemon Peel
    The Eddy’s Crushed Velvet: Orchard Fruit-Infused Gin, Dry Vermouth, Fino Sherry, Tonic Syrup, Lemon Peel
  • Sommelier Bethany Caliaro of Gift Horse and Oberlin
    Sommelier Bethany Caliaro of Gift Horse and Oberlin
  • Oberlin's Pasta with Yoigokochi Sake
    Oberlin’s Pasta with Yoigokochi Sake
  • Sommelier Kelsey Shaw of Bayberry Garden
    Sommelier Kelsey Shaw of Bayberry Garden
  • Chef Ben Sukle of Gift Horse and Oberlin
    Chef Ben Sukle of Gift Horse and Oberlin

Photos courtesy of StarChefs

About StarChefs:
StarChefs has supported the restaurant industry since 1995 and serves as an essential resource for
restaurant professionals, as well as a backstage pass for food-savvy consumers. StarChefs’ original content
is driven by in-person tastings and interviews across the country, and its mission is to catalyze culinary
professionals’ success and give them the tools to overcome challenges. Through its Rising Stars Awards
and Rising Stars magazine, StarChefs has recognized up-and-coming industry professionals nationally
each year since 2003. Connect with StarChefs on Instagram and Facebook.

Hope & Main Teams up with Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream to Host RI Pitch Room Competition for Third Year in a Row

Come to the Schoolyard Market and Cheer On Your Favorite Local Food Businesses

2023 Munch Madness

During Wednesday’s Schoolyard Market, on September 13 from 5 to 8:00PM, Hope & Main will host the third annual Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream Pitch Room Competition where six local food companies will compete for $10,000 in prize winnings and the honor of being Rhode Island’s champion. 

It is all part of a six week-long Munch Madness Competition where Hope & Main members compete for the coveted prize from Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream.

Says Hope & Main Founder, Lisa Raiola, “We are proud to host the Pitch Room Competition. It is a little bit like Shark Tank meets Chopped in Rhode Island. It is such a great opportunity for exposure for our food-preneurs.  The event brings high visibility to Rhode Island’s vibrant, growing, and diverse food economy powered by small businesses.”

Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream supports local food and beverage entrepreneurs across the U.S. with access to capital, networks, and business coaching. 

The Pitch Room Competition will take place in front of a live panel of all-star judges including Jamie Coelho, the editor in chief of Rhode Island Monthly: Chef Sanjiv Dhar,  the Owner of Spice Kraft Inc, and RI Hospitality Association’s Restaurateur of the Year 2023; Jarvis Green, retired New England Patriots player, two-time Super Bowl Champion, and food-preneur; and Jennifer Glanville, Master Brewer for Sam Adams Boston Brewery.  Rhody food fans will hear six pitches from Hope & Main founders who were selected by popular vote in the first round of Munch Madness. 

2022 Munch Madness Winner Katie Potter of Newport Chowder Company, with her mother Muriel. Photo courtesy of Hope & Main.
2022 Munch Madness Winner Katie Potter of Newport Chowder Company, with her mother Muriel. Photo courtesy of Hope & Main.

The finalists competing for the coveted honor of being the inaugural RI Pitch Room Champion include:

  • Guetty Antiste, Empanada Assassin
  • Savannah Campbell, Caribe & Co
  • Ramon Hinds, Orisirisi Spice of Life
  • Amber Jackson, Black Leaf Tea Co.
  • Pin Minyvong, Pin’s Kytchen
  • Mariana Silva-Buck, Little Maven Lemonade

The Live Pitch Room Competition will take place during Hope & Main’s weekly Schoolyard Market. There will be many Hope & Main vendors offering local food and beverages, including craft cocktails and Sam Adams beer, all evening.

The two finalists from the Pitch Room Competition will go on to compete for the $10,000 cash prize at the Hope & Main Twilight Party on Saturday, September 23rd.  Party-goers will vote for their favorite business and the winner will be crowned that evening!

This year’s generous presenting sponsor for Hope & Main’s Munch Madness competition is BankNewport. 

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David Dadekian with Ian Magiros, photo by Brad Smith Photography
The Showwine & drinks

Eat Drink RI The Show with guest Ian Magiros of M.S. Walker joined by Ali Innes and Jonathan Feiler

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian

Season 1, Episode 7 of Eat Drink RI The Show, an interview series with guests from our local food & beverage community. In this episode, Eat Drink RI’s David Dadekian interviews Ian Magiros of M.S. Walker, a wine and spirits importer and distributor. We were also joined by wine friends Ali Innes and Jonathan Feiler. This is an edited version of the conversation and the full video can be found on Facebook.

Please check out the entire series page or view the playlist on YouTube.

Also available as an audio-only podcast below.

Podcast: Play in new window

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Stitcher | Blubrry | Email | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

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portland_maine_20181007_26
news

To Portland, Maine in a Chevrolet Bolt EV

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian
portland_maine_20181007_36

Back in October, Chevrolet asked if I’d like to take their latest all-electric vehicle, the Bolt EV, on a long weekend road trip in New England. Some people might hear October drive in New England and think autumn foliage, but you’re not reading Leaf Peep RI. No, this was a road trip to try some new great food & drink, and since the 45 minutes it would take to travel anywhere in Rhode Island can’t really be considered a road trip, I loaded up the family and we drove north to Portland, Maine.

But first, we had to swap our car for the Bolt EV and get a quick lesson in driving an electric car. Let me say up front, I’m not a car guy. I get that they’re necessary to get around here, but in my day-to-day driving all I really care about is the sound system, interior features and fuel efficiency—so truthfully I was happy with the Bolt EV right away. It came with Apple CarPlay in a Bose system, built-in 4G WiFI and plenty of USB ports around the car, plus a wireless charger and all kinds of climate controls. My wife Brenda does almost all the driving, so I’ll put her car thoughts later in this piece.

But first, fully charged so we could drive for at least 238 miles, we crossed the Maine border and stopped for food. We were barely into Maine when we exited I-95 and backtracked a little to Badgers Island and some of the best BBQ I’ve had up north at Ore Nell’s Barbecue in Kittery. Do you know how good the barbecue is at Ore Nell’s? So good that I know I posted some photos to my Instagram story, but that was it because I was so distracted by the food and drink. GO. I’m not trying to be hyperbolic. This is only one paragraph in a story about a Chevrolet Bolt EV trip, but it’s a paragraph you should pay attention to if you want great BBQ.

Onto Portland and the Courtyard Marriott on Commercial Street which has several electric vehicle charging stations. The valet at the Marriott wasn’t familiar with the Bolt EV, but with some quick skill had it plugged in for an overnight charge for us. In case you’re wondering, there are charging stations all over Portland, in fact, all over everywhere as I soon learned by installing an app called PlugShare which maps charging stations, free and otherwise on your phone for you. In a city like Portland or Providence, or even Cranston and Warwick, these things are more common than gas stations. While I’m on a the subject of apps, there is a myChevrolet app that allows some remote control of the Bolt EV, even when you’re not near it. You can “start and shut down your vehicle, lock and unlock your doors, active your car’s horn and lights, send parking reminders and more.” You cannot, however, drive it like a remote vehicle in an action movie. Hopefully that’s a future upgrade.

portland_maine_20181007_36

Back to the food, and what a full Saturday of eating we had. My family and I really enjoyed Portland a lot. There’s really something for everyone and we started with the girls’s desire for donuts for breakfast. The Holy Donut makes Maine potato donuts and, as you might imagine in our donut-crazed world, there’s a line to get in, at least at the Exchange Street location that was near our hotel. After we all shared several donuts and walked around shopping, the girls wanted French fries from Duckfat for lunch. Perhaps we’ll just stick to a diet of fried carbs for the day? Who am I to blow against the wind? However, I spoiled the all-day fried carbs diet with a detour into distilled carbs with a visit to Hardshore Distilling Company and their excellent gin and then a stop at Maine Craft Distilling where I sampled a number of their spirits.

Next, we went back to the hotel to take the Bolt EV out for a little spin west of downtown Portland to Thompson’s Point, where I did a wine tasting at the Cellardoor Winery and then walked next door to the Stroudwater Distillery for another tasting. When I walked backed outside Brenda was standing outside the car talking to two men. I wasn’t sure what was up. Come to find out they were in the winery also having a tasting, came outside, saw the Bolt EV and started to ask Brenda a bunch of questions about the car. You can’t make this stuff up.

At this point we were in need of some dinner and our next stop was Eventide Oyster Co. To be honest, I had pretty high expectations for dining at Eventide and at the same time I wasn’t sure if a seafood restaurant, even one as highly regarded and awarded as Eventide, would wow me, coming from the Ocean State and some of the best seafood around. Eventide blew me away. The oyster accoutrements were excellent, even though I tend to like my raw oysters unadorned. The New England Clam Chowder was some of the best I’ve ever tasted, all the way down to the homemade cracker. The Maine Lobster Stew with maitake mushrooms, coconut and green curry was a genius combination of strong flavors that worked so well together without overwhelming each other. We kept ordering more because everything was so good—Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Fried Oysters—and then came what was quite possibly the best lobster roll I’ve ever had. The Eventide Brown Butter Lobster Roll definitely exceeded my high expectations and I’m not sure describing it in words is even of value other than to say you should go eat one. We ended the meal with some fun and delicious ice cream sandwiches which they very nicely cut into quarters for our family. Suffice it to say, to me Eventide Oyster Co. is worth every accolade it’s received and I wouldn’t hesitate to eat there again.

portland_maine_20181007_27

Sunday morning we made a quick stop at Standard Baking Co. because everyone I know who’s been says they make some of the best bread around (it was), and then we walked over to Central Provisions for brunch and again ordered more dishes than we should have, but it’s hard not to when you see these menus. Beginning with a Kimchi Bloody Mary for me, we got a couple of orders of Bread and Butter and North Country Bacon, followed by Boquerones, Apple Fritters, Skillet Corn Bread, Bone Marrow Toast and a Roasted Mushroom special. That was one special brunch, everything was prepared so well from the bacon or the simple fritter to the corn bread and the butters. Sometimes you don’t need a highly composed dish when you can have some really excellent ingredients skillfully prepared and presented. Then, in very typical Rhode Island style, even though we were in Maine, as we were leaving Central Provisions in walked a couple of friends from Rhode Island. Ah, the biggest little state in the union!

It began to rain so we decided to take a Sunday drive in the Bolt EV and see some of the Portland sights. First we headed Fort Allen Park and the Eastern Promenade and then we went out to Cape Elizabeth to see the Cape Elizabeth Lighthouse and look out across the Atlantic. Here’s where we really got to play with some of the city driving features of the Bolt EV. As I mentioned, Brenda loves to do the driving and she got a chance to use the One Pedal Driving and Regen on Demand features of the car, almost playing the car like a game to see how well she could capture and store some of the energy from the car moving to maintain a better battery life. I got a kick out of the surround vision feature where you can get an overhead view of the car so you can see all the way around you. That’s definitely a step up from the standard rear view camera.

We took the car back to the hotel for a recharge, though we barely used any battery up tooling around Portland and Cape Elizabeth, and walked over to Vena’s Fizz House for some cocktails and housemade sodas for the girls. I asked them what was their favorite feature of the Bolt EV so far and they unanimously said the built-in WiFi so they could watch Netflix on their iPads on the drive from Boston to Portland. Priorities! After drinks we had dinner reservations at a newer restaurant, Lio, where we had an excellent Sunday dinner special of fried chicken paired with selections from their wonderfully extensive and interesting wine list.

portland_maine_20181008_51

Monday morning and our trip was almost at an end, but not before we weren’t treated to a Maine lobstering tour with Lucky Catch Cruises as part of our trip from Chevrolet. We had nice enough weather that it wasn’t too chilly out on the water and everyone had a great time. The girls had an absolute blast pulling up a lobster trap and pulling out stowaway crabs. While it was a complimentary tour for us, I would gladly recommend it and the staff of Lucky Catch to people interested. Lobstering is extraordinarily tough work with a lot of important regulations that need to be followed to maintain the population. I was glad we had a chance to experience it, even if briefly on a tour.

Last stop in Portland was lunch at Slab Sicilian Street Food where we got slices of square pizza bigger than our heads! By this point Portland had really stuffed us and it was time to head back home. I drove for a bit on Interstate 95 to get a feel for highway driving and the Bolt EV certainly had this non-car-lover impressed. I haven’t even mentioned how there was plenty of room for the girls in their booster seats and the mystifying amount of things kids bring on road trips in the back seat, and we had no issues with fitting luggage for the four of us in the trunk. All-in-all the Bolt EV made for a very comfortable and easy road trip.

Thank you to Chevrolet for the Bolt EV loan, hotel stay and lobster boat tour. You can learn more about the Bolt EV here.

Click any image below to open a gallery of all the photos:

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  • portland_maine_20181007_27
  • portland_maine_20181007_36
  • portland_maine_20181008_51
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chefs & restaurantsnewswine & drinks

StarChefs.com 2014 Coastal New England Rising Stars Awards Comes to Providence

by David Dadekian
written by David Dadekian

Chef Jake Rojas

Chef Jake Rojas

StarChefs.com, a restaurant industry trends magazine, presented it’s 2014 Rising Stars Awards for the Coastal New England region this week. The Awards are given out to honor up-and-coming chefs and culinary professionals who represent who StarChefs.com believes is the best in modern dining. The Coastal New England region covers Portland, Maine and Dover, New Hampshire to Cape Cod and Rhode Island.

Chef Derek Wagner

Chef Derek Wagner

The StarChefs.com team visited more than 150 chefs and artisans across 25 cities and small towns to make their selections for 2014. Thirteen culinary and beverage professionals from ten Rhode Island businesses received Awards with special attention given to Chef Derek Wagner of Providence’s Nick’s on Broadway for Sustainability and Chef James Mark of Providence’s north for Community.

The Rising Stars Awards winners will be showcased at the StarChefs.com Rising Stars Gala on Tuesday, April 15, at the Providence Biltmore, beginning with an awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. and followed by a tasting gala from 7 – 9:30 p.m. All the winners are listed in the media release below and Eat Drink RI reached out to all the Rhode Island winners for their thoughts on being given the StarChefs.com Rising Stars Award.

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you for your time and thoughts.

Chef Matthew Jennings

Chef Matthew Jennings

Chad Hoffer, partner with Tyler Burnley, at Thames Street Kitchen in Newport, “Being part of such a talented group of chefs, in addition to showcasing little Rhody and all it has to offer, is something we look forward to! Star Chefs is a great platform to have, and Tyler and I are both honored to be a part of it.”

Matthew Jennings of Farmstead Inc. in Providence, “Star Chefs has always been an outlet for inspiration for me—a group and a conference I’ve picked up tricks and tips from—and a community I’ve always felt a part of. It’s an honor to be a Rising Star. I’m very thankful and eager to keep pushing!”

James Mark of north in Providence, “We are really excited to receive this award, the folks at StarChefs.com are very nice people and it is wonderful to see them recognize all the work our team puts in both in and out of the kitchen.”

Chef Benjamin Sukle

Chef Benjamin Sukle

Jake Rojas of Tallulah on Thames in Newport, “It’s an honor to be recognized with such a talented group of chefs”

Benjamin Sukle of birch in Providence, “That’s quite a list. Glad to be on it. It’s nice to have the hard work by everyone here rewarded. They earned it.”

Derek Wagner of Nick’s on Broadway in Providence, “I’m very happy to be receiving a StarChefs.com Rising Star Award for my cooking, especially in regards to my efforts with sustainability.  I’ve been working at trying to create food that’s beautiful, delicious, community building and meaningful for a longtime, and it’s hard work. Though the work itself and trying to make a positive impact is undoubtably the most important part, getting recognized for the work and efforts I’ve made is deeply rewarding and motivating. To be recognized from such an industry minded and peer respected source as StarChefs.com only makes it that much more meaningful and resonant.”

Jay Carr

Jay Carr

Ian Cappelano, partner with Peter Kobulnicky and Mike Lingwall of Foremost Baking Company in Providence, “These guys are trying to make it happen and so are we. Cool.”

Jay Carr of The Eddy in Providence, “I’m honored and proud that my hard work and dedication to the craft of getting people drunk is finally paying off.”

Melissa Denmark of Gracie’s and Ellie’s Bakery in Providence, “I am truly honored to receive this award. I have been hoping StarChefs.com would make their way to our incredible city for years! This is a great news source for chefs. I love using their photo gallery as inspiration and to see what is new in the industry, so to be included in that community is extremely rewarding.”

Chef Melissa Denmark

Chef Melissa Denmark

Eric Lepine of New Harvest Coffee Roasters in Pawtucket, “I am honored to be considered among great culinary professionals from around New England. It is both humbling and inspiring to help bridge the gap between specialty coffee and the greater culinary scene in RI.”

The full media release from StarChefs.com with all the winners from Coastal New England and details on what they’ll be serving at the April 15th Rising Stars Gala at the Providence Biltmore, is below. Congratulations to all the winners.

 

 

STARCHEFS.COM ANNOUNCES 2014 COASTAL NEW ENGLAND RISING STARS AWARD WINNERS

Region’s Chefs to Shine Bright at Tasting Gala on April 15, 2014

StarChefs.com™, the award-winning restaurant industry trends magazine, announces its 2014 Coastal New England Rising Stars Awards, honoring up-and-coming chefs and culinary professionals, who represent the vanguard of the contemporary American dining scene. From Portland, Maine and Dover, New Hampshire to Cape Cod and Rhode Island, the StarChefs.com team visited more than 150 chefs and artisans across 25 cities and small towns.

“The New England Coast is the place to go to be close to the land, sea, and real food people. Chefs and artisans are opening single-minded restaurants and concepts, and the community has their back,” said Antoinette Bruno, Editor-in-Chief of StarChefs.com.

The winners will be showcased at the StarChefs.com Rising Stars Gala on Tuesday, April 15, at the Providence Biltmore Hotel, beginning with an awards ceremony at 6:30pm and followed by a tasting gala from 7pm to 9:30pm. The walk-around tasting gala will give attendees the opportunity to experience 20 of Coastal New England’s top chefs and restaurants with beverage pairings and cocktails by the winning sommelier and bartenders, in one location for one night only.

“With its vibrant, close-knit professional culinary community, Providence (and greater Rhode island) is a fitting host for this celebration of the region’s next generation of market leaders,” says Will Blunt.   

General Admission is $95 per person. VIP tickets are $125 and include a private VIP reception with Champagne and Petrossian Caviar, beginning at5:45pm. A portion of the evening’s proceeds will go to Rhode Island Community Food Bank, a nonprofit that provides food to people in need and promotes long-term hunger solutions. Tickets can be purchased at www.starchefs.com/risingstars.

More than 150 candidates in Coastal New England were considered through in-person tastings and interviews. The 2014 StarChefs.com Coastal New England Rising Stars Award winners are:

Chefs

Chefs Tyler Burnley and Chad Hoffer of Thames Street Kitchen (Newport, RI)
Featured Dish: Australian Beef Carpaccio, Sunflower Seeds and Shoots, Garlic Confit, and Pickled Mustard Seeds

Chef Chris Fischer of Beach Plum Inn & Food (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)
Featured Dish: Blue Fish Belly Crudo, Smoked Sea Salt, Lemon, and Arugula

Chef Mayumi Hattori of Straight Wharf (Nantucket, MA)
Featured Dish: Casoncelli, Spring Greens, Snap Peas, Prosciutto, Goats Milk Ricotta, and Grana Padano

Chef Evan Hennessey of Stages at One Washington (Dover, NH)  
Featured Dish: Glazed Berkshire Pork Leg, Wheat Berries, Sunchokes, Pickled Mushrooms, and Orange

Chef Matt Jennings of Farmstead Inc. (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Ham and Pickles: Cured and Smoked Pig Leg, Pickled Vegetables, Conpoy, and Curry Vinaigrette

Chef Ravin “Bas” Nakjaroen of Long Grain (Camden, ME) 
Featured Dish: Australian Beef Panang Curry, Roasted Red Peppers, Bamboo, and Coconut Cream

Chef Jake Rojas of Tallulah on Thames (Newport, RI)
Featured Dish: Miso-Harissa-Maple Pork Belly, Slow Egg, and Togarashi-spiced Fried Brussels Sprout Leaves

Chef Dan Sauer of 7a Foods (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)
Featured Dish: Asparagus Melt with Fontina, Roasted Garlic Aïoli, Basil, Pickled Red Onions, Dried Blueberries, and Focaccia

Chef Patrick Soucy of Ceia Kitchen + Bar (Newburyport, MA)
Featured Dish: Braised Goat, Basil-infused Goat Yogurt, Wheat Berries, Violet Blossoms, Beet-Brunet Mousse, and Bee Pollen

Chef Ben Sukle of birch (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Warm Butternut Squash, Melted Leeks, Squash Seeds, Marjoram, and Brown Butter-Shellfish Bouillon

Chefs Andrew Taylor and Michael Wiley of Eventide Oyster Co. and Hugo’s (Portland, ME) 
Featured Dish: Lobster Sashimi, Sea Beans, Daikon Radishes, Frozen Ramp Purée, Ginger-Scallion Sauce, Nori Vinaigrette, and Fried Garlic

Chef Justin Walker of Earth at Hidden Pond (Kennebunkport, ME)
Featured Dish: Fried Oysters, Wood-fired Padron Pepper Relish, Bacon, and Sage

Community Chef
Chef James Mark of north (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Burmese-style Roasted Cabbage, Peanut Brittle, Apple, Fermented Chile-Maple Dressing, and Mint

Hotel Chef
James Hackney of Twenty-Eight Atlantic at Wequassett Resort and Golf Club (Cape Cod, MA)
Featured Dish: Poached Sole, Orleans Mussels, Black Quinoa, Watercress Broth, Black Truffles, and Herbs

Sustainability Chef
Chef Derek Wagner of Nick’s on Broadway (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Fluke Crudo, Apples, Radishes, Pickled Cranberries, Kumquat, Grapefruit, and Herbs

Pastry Chefs
Melissa Denmark of Gracie’s (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: White Japanese Yam Custard, Maple Pecans, Brown Butter Shortbread, Pomegranate Jam, Crème Fraîche Ice Cream, and Wood Sorrel

Ilma Lopez of Piccolo (Portland, ME)
Featured Dish: Chocolate Budino Crostata, Candied Hazelnuts, Maldon Sea Salt, and Vincotto

Artisans
Ian Cappelano, Peter Kobulnicky, and Mike Lingwall of Foremost Baking Company (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish: Baguettes and Assorted Breads

Eli Cayer of Urban Farm Fermentory (Portland, ME)
Featured Drink: Ginger Kombucha

Concept
Bennett Coffey and Kyleen Keenan of Not Your Sugar Mamas (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)
Featured Dish: Be Local Raw Chocolate Bars

Brewer
Nathan Sanborn of Rising Tide Brewery (Portland, ME)
Featured Beer: Daymark American Pale Ale

Roasters 
Will Pratt of Tandem Coffee Roasters (Portland, ME)

Eric Lepine of New Harvest Coffee Roasters (Pawtucket, RI)

Bartenders
Andrew Volk of Portland Hunt & Alpine Club (Portland, ME)
Featured Drink: Fratelli Stinger: Laird’s Applejack, BrancaMenta, Bourbon, Angostura Bitters, and Lemon Peel

Jay Carr of Eddy (Providence, RI)
Featured Drink: Orange Julius Caesar: Shellback Caribbean Rum, Bols Yoghurt Liqueur, Lime Juice, Vanilla, Bittermens Orange Cream Citrate, and Orange Peel

Sommelier
Tanya McDonough of Straight Wharf and Ventuno (Nantucket, MA)
Beverage Pairings with Winners’ Dishes

Restaurateur
Nancy Batista-Caswell of Caswell Restaurant Group (Newburyport, MA)

Host Chef
Kevin Hale of Providence Biltmore Hotel (Providence, RI)
Featured Dish:  Roasted Australian Lamb, Vadouvan Curry, Saffron-Basmati Rice, Aleppo Pepper Asparagus, and Cilantro-Mint Aïoli

A number of additional awards highlight special talents, including:

  • Mixology Award, presented by Hobart
  • Rising Stars Art of Presentation Award, presented by Steelite International
  • Mentor Award, presented by Vitamix

Supporters of 2014 StarChefs.com Coastal New England Rising Stars Awards
Meat & Livestock Australia, Steelite International, Winebow Inc., Rhône Valley Wines – Costières de Nîmes, Hobart, Vitamix, Winston Industries, Brewery Ommegang, Valrhona, Fresh Origins, Chef Works and VerTerra. Local partners include Providence Biltmore Hotel, the Providence Journal, Providence Warwick CVB, Providence Journal, Bacaro Restaurant, The Dorrance, Johnson & Wales University, and The Rhode Island Community Food Bank

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