5 Providence Restaurants. Today, I’m sharing a panel discussion I had with 5 of Rhode Island’s finest culinary professionals at the Star Chef’s event in Providence. Chef Derek Wagner from Nick’s on Broadway in Providence, Chef Eric Brown from Thick Neck at The Dean Hotel in Providence, Chef Kevin O'Donnell from Giusto in New Port, Chef Nick Gillespie at Dune Brothers Seafood in Providence, and Bartender Jesse Hedberg at Pizza Marvin in Providence.
You’ll hear what makes the cuisine of New England unique and the important role of sourcing what’s local to the region, rather than what’s trending in other parts of the world. The chefs share how they’re incorporating lesser-known, local seafood and produce into their menus.
You’ll learn how the food scene in Rhode Island has changed over the last 20 years, and how local sourcing, as well as having pride in that bounty, is shaping their culinary landscape.
What you'll learn from this 5 Providence Restaurants
- Perspectives on the culinary scene from Providence Restaurants in Rhode Island 3:51
- The two cities that are leading the food scene in Rhode Island 5:17
- Why Newport is tough for new restaurants 6:11
- How the seasons and landscape affect the food 6:47
- Why Providence has a Napoleon complex 10:55
- The importance of taking risks and standing out 13:16
- How the scene has become more representative of New England 10:40
- The pros of their proximity to Boston 18:50
- How Covid scrapped the seasonal restaurant trend 20:37
- Creating community through the local food system 22:19
- Having pride in what’s local to your area 26:36
- Highlighting local fish that weren’t popular before 29:06
- 5 Providence Restaurants talk about building a menu around what’s available rather than w