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The Duck and Bunny

The Duck & Bunny and the East Side Win I HEART PROVIDENCE 2013 Culinary Competition

by David Dadekian February 10, 2013

Best Chef winner Chef Brandy Schwalbe of The Duck & Bunny

On Tuesday, February 5th, the fifth annual I HEART PROVIDENCE was held at Providence City Hall. This year’s event included a culinary competition with the theme East Side vs. West Side. East Side chefs Nemo Bolin of Cook & Brown Public House, Brandy Schwalbe of The Duck & Bunny, and Paul Jalaf of Vanity “battled” against West Side chefs Mike McHugh of Julians, James Mark of North, and Jonathan Dille of The Grange, a plant-based restaurant from the owner of Garden Grille opening in March.

The judges, David Dadekian of Eat Drink RI, Chef Branden Lewis of Johnson & Wales University and Chef Matthew Varga of Gracie’s, blind tasted the dishes from the six contenders and unanimously decided that The Duck & Bunny’s Chef Brandy Schwalbe’s bacon bread pudding was the winner for best dish. The judges also unanimously named the East Side as the side of Providence with the best food that evening. The People’s Choice vote went to the West Side.

Providence City Hall during I HEART PROVIDENCE 2013

Congratulations to The Duck & Bunny and Chef Schwalbe, as well as to all the participating restaurants who greatly impressed the judges and attendees.

I HEART PROVIDENCE founder Mike Ritz has declared 2014’s event will be themed “Will you marry me?” Ritz posted to Facebook, “Get ready to formalize your love with the city and that special someone. Take the big leap . . . renew your vows . . .dedicate yourself to a principle/idea . . .take an oath to your great city . . .make a lasting commitment in 2014 at I HEART PROVIDENCE.”

I HEART PROVIDENCE East vs. West Award Artwork by Ahlers Designs

February 10, 2013 0 comment

chefs & restaurants news

I HEART PROVIDENCE Hosts Culinary Competition Between East Side and West Side Chefs, Tuesday, February 5, 2013

by David Dadekian February 3, 2013

written by David Dadekian

I Heart Providence, Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Now in it’s fifth year, I HEART PROVIDENCE 2013 is hosting a culinary competition at Providence City Hall between East Side chefs Nemo Bolin of Cook & Brown Public House, Brandy Schwalbe of The Duck & Bunny, and Paul Jalaf of Vanity versus West Side chefs Mike McHugh of Julians, James Mark of North, and Jonathan Dille of The Grange, a plant-based restaurant from the owner of Garden Grille opening in March.

“This year’s collaboration with RI Food Fights is exciting to have at I HEART PROVIDENCE,” said Mike Ritz, the I HEART PROVIDENCE event founder. “It’s a free party that includes complimentary food, two live bands, a graffiti-styled art project, and hundreds and hundreds of Providence lovers . . . a fun celebration of our diverse city!”

Ritz created I HEART PROVIDENCE in 2009 as a way for positive Providence people to congregate and shout to the world why their city is so great. Since 2009, the annual event has expanded to all three floors of Providence City Hall.

The culinary competition judging panel of David Dadekian of Eat Drink RI, Chef Branden Lewis of Johnson & Wales University and Chef Matthew Varga of Gracie’s will determine the winners for two awards: Best PVD Chef and Best Side of Providence. The winners will be announced by Mayor Angel Taveras in front of his second floor office at 7 p.m. In addition to these two awards, the public will get a chance to vote for their favorite chef to determine the “People’s Choice” award which will be announced at the event’s after party at The Dorrance at 9 p.m.

This year’s event will showcase staggered performance times on the second and third floors with local bands Bored with Four and Miss Wensday & The Cotillions. Restaurants offering food sampling include Abyssinia, Ebisu, El Rancho Grande, Eye Cookies, Fertile Underground Grocery, Kabob and Curry, Los Andes, Olneyville New York System and Whole Foods Market. The RI Convention Center is supplying two cash bars. The Avenue Concept, a sponsor of the event, will oversee a graffiti wall for participants to “tag,” leaving an artistic memory of the evening.

I HEART PROVIDENCE is held at Providence City Hall on Tuesday, February 5 from 6 – 8 p.m. and is free to the public.

February 3, 2013 0 comment

chefs & restaurants news

Providence Restaurant Week, July 8 – 21, 2012

by David Dadekian June 30, 2012

written by David Dadekian

From the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau comes the news of the next Providence Restaurant Week. As has become the tradition in the area, Restaurant Week has grown to Restaurant Weeks, running for two full weeks beginning Sunday, July 8. All the information, including the complete list of participating restaurants can be found in the release below and at http://www.goprovidence.com/rw/

Nearly 100 Eateries from Across Rhode Island Participate in Seventh Annual Providence Restaurant Weeks

New Partnerships with Yelp, Foodspotting Add Interactive Component to the Event
Providence has recently emerged as a top culinary destination, including being named the #2 Food City in the U.S. by the readers of Travel + Leisure magazine in its 2011 “America’s Favorite Cities” poll. Find out what all the fuss is about during the seventh annual Providence Restaurant Weeks, July 8-21.
Nearly 100 restaurants from across Rhode Island will be offering three-course, prix fixe lunches for $14.95 and/or three-course, prix fixe dinners for $29.95. Some are even offering two-for-one deals and other special promotions. Complete information about participating restaurants, including menus, may be found at www.ProvidenceRestaurantWeeks.com.
Providence Restaurant Weeks is sponsored by American Express®, Newport Storm, Creekstone Farms, Rhode Island Monthly and OpenTable.com. New partnerships with two popular websites, Yelp.com and Foodspotting.com, add an interactive component to the event. “Yelpers,” a substantial community of online reviewers, can “check in” at participating Providence Restaurant Week venues to receive special offers good for a return visit, all done via smartphone. Foodspotting, the popular website and mobile app that focuses on dish reviews, will promote the event to its online community. People who upload photos of their recommendations at any of the Restaurant Weeks locations on Foodspotting will be eligible to win gift cards from participating restaurants.
“Working with social media partners allows the event to take on a virtual life of its own,” said Martha Sheridan, president and CEO of the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau (PWCVB), which organizes the event. “The high-tech element balances nicely with the simple pleasure of enjoying a beautifully prepared meal.”
Participating restaurants include: 1149 Bar & Grill (Seekonk); Amici Bar & Grille; Andino’s Restaurant; Aspire Restaurant; Audrey’s at The Johnson and Wales Inn; Bacaro Restaurant; Blaze East Side; Blue Grotto Restaurant; Blush Winebar; Bravo Brasserie; Cafe Nuovo; Caffe Dolce Vita; Camille’s; The Capital Grille; Capriccio; Carrie’s Restaurant; Cassarino’s Ristorante; CAV; Centro Restaurant and Lounge; Chardonnay’s Restaurant; Chez Pascal; Cook & Brown Public House Ltd.; Cucina & The Grille; Cucina Twist; d. Carlo Trattoria; DeWolf Tavern; Don Jose Tequilas Restaurant; The Duck and Bunny; Eleven Forty Nine Restaurant (Warwick); Elizabeth of Portofino’s; Fire + Ice Restaurant; Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar; Fred & Steve’s Steakhouse; Gracie’s; Grille on Main; Harry’s Bar & Burger; Hemenway’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar; Hewtin’s Dogs Mobile; Hourglass Brasserie; India Restaurant; Iron Works Tavern; Jacky’s Waterplace Restaurant; Joe’s American Bar & Grill; Kartabar Restaurant; La Laiterie at Farmstead; La Masseria; Legal Sea Foods; Libations Restaurant at the Radisson Hotel Providence Airport; Local 121 Restaurant; Loie Fuller’s; LUXE Burger Bar; McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant; Mediterraneo; The Melting Pot; Meritage Restaurant; and Mill’s Tavern Restaurant.
As well as: New Rivers; Pane e Vino; Paragon + Viva; Parkside Rotisserie & Bar; Pizzico Ristorante; Pot Au Feu; Potenza Ristorante; Providence Oyster Bar; Providence Prime Steakhouse; Rare Burger Bar; Red Stripe; Redlefsen’s Rotisserie & Grill; Remington House Inn; Ri Ra Irish Pub; Rick’s Roadhouse; The ROI; Rue De L’Espoir; Ruth’s Chris Steak House; Sawaddee Thai Restaurant; Siena Cucina (East Greenwich); Siena (Providence); Snooker’s Sports, Billiards, Bar & Grill; Spats Restaurant and Bar; Spirito’s Restaurant; Tazza; Temple Downtown; Ten Prime Steak & Sushi; Trattoria Roma; Trattoria Zooma; Twist Restaurant; Union Station Brewery; Uno Chicago Grill; Vanity Restaurant & Lounge; Vintage Restaurant; Waterman Grille; Waterplace Restaurant; The Whiskey Republic; XO Café; and Z Bar & Grille.
The Providence Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau is an accredited, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization whose mission is to create vibrant growth for the local hospitality economy by promoting, developing, and expanding a united visitor industry. For more information, contact 401-456-0200 or visit www.pwcvb.com.

June 30, 2012 0 comment

chefs & restaurants news

The Duck and Bunny Wins First Rhode Island Food Fights Great Cupcake Championship

by David Dadekian March 11, 2012

written by David Dadekian

RI Food Fights awards produced by Ahlers Designs, Inc.

The first Rhode Island Food Fights event was held on Sunday, March 11 at The Spot Underground in Providence. RI Food Fights, the brainchild of Jim Nellis and Casey Spencer, declared their first competition to be the Great Cupcake Championship and thirteen bakeries from around the state vied for the title of best cupcake in Rhode Island, along with some excellent prizes. First place, part of the judged competition (of which I was a judge) was awarded to The Duck & Bunny of 312 Wickenden Street in Providence for their Bunny Carrot cupcake.

I spoke with The Duck & Bunny co-owner Jessica Becker about the restaurant and the thought behind their cupcakes. Becker said, “When we opened The Duck and Bunny we wanted to have cupcakes as one of the best things that we would carry because we came from New York where cupcakes had kind of blown up. Our whole thing was we thought they were all too sugary sweet and we really wanted to focus on the flavors. That was the big thing for us. We wanted authentic tastes. Brandy [Schwalbe] and Renee [Frechette] are our cupcake pastry chefs and they have wonderful recipes and we’ve collaborated. We like to do twists on classics and do different things.”

The Duck & Bunny's Bunny Carrot cupcake (mini version)

The judges second place prize went to City Girl Cupcake of 99 Weybosset Street in Providence for their Caramel Chocolate Walnut cupcake. Judges’ honorable mention went to Mi-Mi’s Sweet Shoppe for their Snickers cupcake. In addition to the judged competition, the sold out crowd also could cast their votes for their favorite cupcakes. People’s Choice winner was The Cupcake Contessas‘ Spice cupcake and People’s honorable mention went to The Duck & Bunny.

This three hour RI Food Fights dessert extravaganza was emceed by Mike Ritz and John Taraborelli with Kristen Minsky acting as cupcake hostess. The five judges had to considerately consume thirteen cupcakes. Judges were Chef Andrew Shotts of Garrison Confections, Chef Jennifer Luxmoore of Sin Desserts, Pastry Chef Melissa Denmark of Gracie’s, WPRO producer and host Bekah Berger and David Dadekian of Eat Drink RI. The event was successful and Nellis and Spencer plan on staging more RI Food Fights.

First place winners from The Duck & Bunny, from left to right: Jessica Becker, Renee Frechette and Brandy Schwalbe

City Girl Cupcake's Caramel Chocolate Walnut cupcake

March 11, 2012 0 comment

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