“We brought home a silver but it should have been gold,” lamented Joseph Leonardi, executive chef of the Somerset Club in Boston. The competitor was reflecting on a successful performance, but the memory of finishing second overrode his triumph. Leonardi was back at his alma mater, Johnson & Wales University, on Jan. 16 to be honored as a distinguished visiting chef. But what everyone wanted to talk to Leonardi about was his stint as captain of Team USA. The team competed in the Culinary Olympics last summer in Erfurt, Germany, that was held just after those London athletic games, which received just a bit more media coverage. more

Warwick Ice Cream owner Jerry Bucci Jr. is the third generation in a family business founded in 1930. He hopes one of his sons will one day run the company. more

Rhode Island’s capital city ranked third on OpenTable’s list of the 25 Most Romantic Cities in the United States. more

A bit of patience on our parts will be well worthwhile as some of our favorite local restaurants take a break this winter to freshen up and put on a new look. more

Chef Joseph Leonardi, executive chef at the Somerset Club in Boston, conducts a two-hour demonstration to Johnson & Wales University culinary students on Jan. 16. Leonardi returned to his alma mater for the event as the 168th distinguished visiting chef and was honored at a luncheon. Joining him during the demo was Celia Cordeira, rear, a junior in the culinary-arts program, who received a $2,000 scholarship in his name. more

Three Rhode Island restaurants – Basil’s Restaurant, Bouchard Restaurant and Inn, and The Spiced Pear – made OpenTable’s list of the Top 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in the United States for 2013. more

Restaurateurs and chefs are fond of saying that this time of year is “quiet” in the food business. If that ever was the case, it certainly is not this year. No sooner had we hung up our new calendars (or waited that nanosecond for our electronic devices to update their calendar settings) than we are already off and running with a full slate of food festivals and wine-tasting events that should make the winter fly by. more

Foolproof Brewing Co., New England’s latest addition to the craft brewing scene, has launched its hand-crafted beers in bars across Rhode Island. more

Colosseum nightclub co-owner Anthony Santurri knew mayhem such as the stabbings at nearby Richmond Street hotspot Level II in April – in Providence’s nascent Knowledge District – posed as potentially lethal a threat to the nightlife industry as it did for patrons. more

This year you have read in this column about many contributors to the state’s successful restaurant community, from chefs and restaurateurs to winemakers and farmers. All can be considered stars of the industry. more