Richard Allaire has joined L’Epicureo restaurant in the Hotel Providence as executive chef. He has 10 years’ experience, as a sous chef of Great Bay at Hotel Commonwealth, as entremetier at Radius in Boston, and as saucier at Chez Pascal in Providence and at Spiced Pear at The Chandler Hotel in Newport.
PBN: How did you become a chef?
ALLAIRE: In college I worked in a brew pub in Providence where my brother was head brewer. I was cooking more out of necessity than out of interest for the profession. The chef, Mike Lehan, must have seen something in me, because he spent time teaching me cooking basics. I was incredibly inspired by his intelligence and precision in the kitchen, and I still consider him to be a mentor.
Rhode Island's Market Has Changed. Developers, Builders, Investors and Sellers Must Change With It.
By Emilio DiSpirito IV License Partner | Engel & Völkers Oceanside Leader | The DiSpirito…
Learn More
PBN: What are an executive chef’s duties?
ALLAIRE: My first few weeks at L’Epicureo were about setting up systems for ordering, hiring cooks, establishing standards, training and writing menus. Kitchens need a leader, and if something goes wrong at any point, it’s my responsibility to make sure that the problem gets fixed.
PBN: What is the difference between the Boston and Rhode Island hospitality markets?
ALLAIRE: Working for Michael Schlow [at Radius] was an eye-opener. For me, Schlow redefined what hospitality meant. The detail and dedication that his staff demonstrates at his restaurants was an education for me as a cook and manager. After working in Boston, I had a hard time finding a place where his idea of hospitality existed. I feel that at Hotel Providence it does, and I’m proud to be a part of it.
PBN: Does your job take you away from cooking too much?
ALLAIRE: I chose this profession because I enjoy learning and working with food. As with most professions, the higher you climb, the further away you get [from] what it was you were doing in the beginning. My job as chef is to teach not only the cooks, but also my sous chefs to do some of the managing, and if I succeed in doing that, I will be able to be more hands-on with the food, and not in the office as much.
